Sleepy John Estes

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Sleepy John Estes (born January 25, 1904 in Ripley , Tennessee , † June 5, 1977 in Brownsville , Tennessee; actually John Adam Estes ) was an influential American blues guitarist, singer and composer. His nickname Sleepy John is attributed to low blood pressure and the resulting sleep attacks. It is reported that he was able to sleep standing up and also fell asleep on stage.

Life

As a child, Estes went blind in his right eye after a baseball accident. He built guitars out of boxes of cigars to play on. In 1915 the family moved to Brownsville, Tennessee, where Estes met the mandolin player Yank Rachell ; the two became longtime blues partners. Another of Estes' childhood friends was Sonny Boy Williamson .

Estes' grave in Durhamville

Estes, Rachell and Hammie Nixon (harmonica) often performed together. With the jug player and pianist Jab Jones, Estes and Rachell founded the "Three J's Jug Band " in Memphis , which made some recordings in 1929 and 1930. In 1931, Estes and Nixon went to Chicago . They later moved around looking for gigs. In 1937 and 1938 they made recordings in New York , among others with Robert Nighthawk . Titles like Milk Cow Blues (1930) became classics. His song Everybody Oughta Make a Change was also picked up again.

In 1941, Estes moved back to Brownsville. Musically it became quiet around him and it is said that he was even thought to be dead. In 1950 he became completely blind . In the course of the folk revival in 1962, he was rediscovered, completely impoverished. He performed with Rachell and Nixon at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964 , recorded a few albums, and toured again before health problems tied him to his home in Brownsville.

Sleepy John Estes died on June 5, 1977 and is buried in Durhamville , Tennessee.

Discography (selection)

  • Complete Recorded Works 1929-1941 Vols 1-2
  • I Ain't Gonna Be Worried No More 1929-1941
  • The Legend of Sleepy John Estes
  • Broke and Hungry
  • Brownsville Blues
  • Down South Blues
  • Sleepy John Estes In Europe
  • Electric Sleep

Web links
personal data
SURNAME Estes, Sleepy John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Estes, John Adam (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American blues musician
DATE OF BIRTH January 25, 1904
PLACE OF BIRTH Ripley (Tennessee)
DATE OF DEATH 5th June 1977
Place of death Brownsville, Tennessee