Smokey Wilson born July 11, 1936

Robert Lee "Smokey" Wilson (July 11, 1936 – September 8, 2015) was an American West Coast blues guitarist. He spent most of his career performing West Coast blues and juke joint blues in Los Angeles, California. He recorded a number of albums for record labels such as P-Vine Records, Bullseye Blues and Texmuse Records. His career got off to a late start, with international recognition eluding him until the 1990s.

Wilson was born in Glen Allan, Mississippi, and raised in Lake Village, Arkansas. He  was eight when his father bought him his first guitar. His teenage years were spent developing his singing and playing skills. In 1961 he became a member of Junior Green And His Soul Searchers Band, which, after some years, he left to join Roosevelt ‘Booba’ Barnes, with whom he played for four years. 

He played alongside Big Jack Johnson and Frank Frost, before his move to Los Angeles in 1970 where he hoped that his down-home style would be popular. He played in a number of clubs and became part-owner of the Casino Club, where he worked on a regular basis as frontman of the house band. He also In booked blues musicians to perform at the club, including Big Joe Turner, Percy Mayfield, Pee Wee Crayton and Albert Collins. His down-to-earth guitar playing was typical of his Mississippi Delta background. "I bring the cotton-field with me," he said, "and I got the juke-joint inside."

                                   

Whilst Wilson's years of residency at the Pioneer Club did little to secure nationwide recognition, he appeared on the PBS special Three Generation of Blues, with Robert Cray and John Lee Hooker. He also appeared in various television commercials, including UPN's "The Watcher," and FOX's "Divas", plus in a music video made by Babyface.

Wilson released two albums on Big Town Records in the 1970s. His 1983 album, 88th Street Blues, for the Murray Brothers label (later reissued by Blind Pig Records) had contributions from Rod Piazza (harmonica and record producer) and Hollywood Fats (rhythm guitar). Wilson performed at the Long Beach Blues Festival in 1980, 1981 and 1999; having earlier appeared at the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1978.

A new contract with the Bullseye Blues label saw Wilson through the 90s and marked a resurgence in his career. Smoke N’ Fire (1993) had guest appearances by Larry Davis and Jimmy McCracklin, effectively flattering Wilson’s modest talent. The Real Deal (1995) followed, as Wilson's reputation began to grow as he reached his sixtieth year. He made one further recording for Bullseye (1997’s The Man From Mars)

During 2003 Wilson recorded an album with Andy T and his band who backed him on stage since 1997. Smokey, as always demonstrative, sang pretty well but left most of the guitar parts to Andy T. Nine days after this album Smokey suffered a stroke. In the years that follow, as his health gradually deteriorated, he remained very discreet and finally died in his sleep on September 8, 2015, in Los Angeles, California.

(Edited from Wikipedia, Blind Dog Radio & Blues Sessions)