Musician. Born Joseph William Perkins, he was a piano player known as Pinetop Perkins, who specialized in some of the most influential blues and rock and roll. He began his career as a guitarist and after injuring his hand switched to piano. In the early 1950s, he joined Earl Hooker, toured and recorded "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" at Sam Phillips' Sun Studios, in Memphis, Tennessee. With the success of his record, he relocated to Chicago and was a mainstay on the blues scene for the next five decades as a session side man and front line attraction. He recorded many of his own albums to include, "After Hours" (1988), "On Top" (1992), "Portrait of a Bluesman" (1993), "Born in the Delta" (1997), "Back on Top" (2000), "Ladies Man" (2004) and "Pinetop and Friends" (2008). He also appeared in the films, "The Blues Brothers" (1980) and "Angel Heart" (1987). In 2005, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album for "The Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesman: Live in Dallas" (2008) and at age 97, became the oldest-ever Grammy winner, to receive a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album for his contributions to the album, "Joined at the Hip" (2010). He was a personal friend of the blues guitarist legend, Robert Johnson and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2003.
Musician. Born Joseph William Perkins, he was a piano player known as Pinetop Perkins, who specialized in some of the most influential blues and rock and roll. He began his career as a guitarist and after injuring his hand switched to piano. In the early 1950s, he joined Earl Hooker, toured and recorded "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" at Sam Phillips' Sun Studios, in Memphis, Tennessee. With the success of his record, he relocated to Chicago and was a mainstay on the blues scene for the next five decades as a session side man and front line attraction. He recorded many of his own albums to include, "After Hours" (1988), "On Top" (1992), "Portrait of a Bluesman" (1993), "Born in the Delta" (1997), "Back on Top" (2000), "Ladies Man" (2004) and "Pinetop and Friends" (2008). He also appeared in the films, "The Blues Brothers" (1980) and "Angel Heart" (1987). In 2005, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album for "The Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesman: Live in Dallas" (2008) and at age 97, became the oldest-ever Grammy winner, to receive a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album for his contributions to the album, "Joined at the Hip" (2010). He was a personal friend of the blues guitarist legend, Robert Johnson and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2003.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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