Blues musician, born in Linden, Texas, USA. A pioneering electric guitarist, he worked as a lead-boy for Blind Lemon Jefferson in Dallas before teaching himself guitar in the mid-1920s. He toured with a variety of medicine shows throughout the South and made his first recording in 1929. Between 1930--5 he toured with Ida Cox, Ma Rainey, Cab Calloway, and Milt Larkins, then appeared as a sideman with Les Hite's Orchestra for five years, during which time he developed a prototypical style for electric blues. His 1942 Capitol recording "Call It Stormy Monday' was the first of many blues standards he recorded over the next 25 years. He toured with his own band thereafter, but also appeared with the American Folk Blues Festival and all-star jazz groups on annual tours of Europe between 1962--74.