BOBO JENKINS

Biography

Bobo Jenkins, born John Pickens Jenkins on January 7, 1916, in Forkland, Alabama, faced early hardship when his sharecropper father died before he was one year old. Raised by his mother and uncle, he left home before age 12, arriving in Memphis, Tennessee, where he married at 14—the first of ten marriages. He worked casually in the Mississippi Delta, served in the U.S. Army until his 1944 discharge, then settled in Detroit, holding jobs at Packard, managing a garage, and spending 27 years at Chrysler.[1][2]

In Detroit, Jenkins developed his career as a Detroit blues and electric blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. With assistance from John Lee Hooker, he recorded his debut 'Democrat Blues' in Chicago in 1954 for Chess Records, followed by releases on Boxer and Fortune Records like 'Ten Below Zero' in 1957. In 1959, he founded Big Star Records, releasing 'You'll Never Understand' and 'Tell Me Where You Stayed Last Night.' He built his own studio in the 1960s, recording local talents such as James 'Little Daddy' Walton and Little Junior Cannady, and promoted the first Detroit Blues Festival in 1972. His debut album, The Life of Bobo Jenkins (the 'red album'), was released that year.[1][3]

Jenkins' musical style blended classic and electric blues with political themes, evident in tracks like 'Watergate Blues' on his 1974 'green album' Here I Am a Fool in Love Again and 'Detroit All Purpose Blues' (the 'yellow album') in 1977. He performed at major events including the 1973 Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival and the 1976 Smithsonian Bicentennial, and toured Europe briefly in 1982 with the American Living Blues Festival before health issues forced his return. Jenkins died in Detroit on August 14, 1984, after a long illness, leaving a legacy as a self-made blues entrepreneur.[1][2]

Fun Facts

• Jenkins had ten marriages, with his first occurring at age 14.
• He wrote 'Democrat Blues' on election day in 1952 while Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president.
• His albums were nicknamed by sleeve colors: 'red album' (1972), 'green album' (1974), and 'yellow album' (1977).
• Despite being 56, his 'red album' cover featured a youthful photo of him in a star shape, tying into Big Star Records.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• John Lee Hooker - Assisted with first recording session ('Democrat Blues' (1954)) [1954]

Key Collaborators

• Sonny Boy Williamson II - Played alongside (Live performances) [1950s-1960s]
• James 'Little Daddy' Walton - Recorded at his studio (Singles on Big Star Records) [1960s]
• Little Junior Cannady - Recorded at his studio (Singles on Big Star Records) [1960s]
• Sarah Brown - Session musician (Here I Am a Fool in Love Again (1974)) [1974]
• Buddy Folks - Accompaniment (Detroit All Purpose Blues (1977)) [1977]
• Willie D. Warren - Accompaniment (Detroit All Purpose Blues (1977)) [1977]

External Links

• Spotify