JOHN LEE HENLEY

Born ,  13 February 1919, Canton, Mississippi, USA. Henley learned harmonica as a child and played for country dances. Moving to Chicago in 1943, he spent some time with John Lee ‘Sonny Boy’ Williamson and picked up a good deal of technique, although his only record, recorded in 1958, owes more to the other Sonny Boy ‘Rice Miller’ Williamson, whom Henley had heard in Mississippi. He claimed to have accompanied Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Spires, his regular partner at the time, on a 1953 recording session, but never regarded himself as a professional musician. Mid-60s recordings for Testament explored his early repertoire, with titles such as ‘Slidin’ Devil, ’ ‘Old Mule’ and ‘Two Step’, but nothing was issue