Little Son Joe

About

American blues guitarist, vocalist and composer.

Born: May 18, 1900 in Hughes, Arkansas
Died: November 14, 1961 in Memphis, Tennessee

From around 1931 to 1936 he worked around Memphis with Robert Wilkins, who he accompanied on a recording session in 1935. By 1939, Lawlars was working with, and married to, Memphis Minnie in Chicago. Their first recording session together, for Vocalion in February 1939, produced six released sides by Lawlers as well as four under Minnie's name. Lawlars recorded in his own right under the name Little Son Joe, but most of his recorded work was as an accompanist to Minnie. In 1942 he had a hit with "Black Rat Swing", billed as “Mr. Memphis Minnie”.

Lawlars mostly retired from music from around 1957 because of ill-health, although after moving to Memphis in 1958 he and Minnie had a regular Saturday night gig at the Red Light in Millington, Tennessee, and he played drums on Minnie's final recording session in 1959.

Lawlars died in November 1961 from heart disease, and was buried in the New Hope Cemetery in Walls, Mississippi.

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