Photo: Roman Medellín / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Williamson is the trickster king of the blues, a harp player whose phrasing is so conversational it feels like he's talking right to you. The whole mystery around his name, his age, and whether he 'borrowed' another man's identity only adds to the legend. What gets me is the menace and wit packed into 'Don't Start Me Talkin'' and 'Help Me' that whole vocabulary of cool that the British rockers couldn't get enough of when he toured Europe. The Yardbirds and Animals worshipped him for good reason. He's the kind of foundational artist whose DNA is buried in half the music I love.
Overview
Sonny Boy Williamson II (born Aleck "Rice" Miller, circa 1912 - May 25, 1965) was an American blues harmonica player, singer, and songwriter from Mississippi. One of the most influential blues harpists in history, he recorded enduring classics such as "Don't Start Me Talkin'" and "Help Me" and toured Europe in the 1960s, where he performed with British rock musicians. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Sonny Boy Williamson II
- Name (Japanese)
- サニー・ボーイ・ウィリアムソンII
- Reading
- さにー・ぼーい・うぃりあむそんII
- Born
- December 5, 1912 – May 25, 1965
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Rat
- Origin
- Mississippi, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- Singer / Composer / Songwriter / Bandleader / Recording artist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1980 Blues Hall of Fame
- 1986 Blues Music Award
- 1988 Blues Music Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Singer — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.