Blues Musician. Born William George Tucker in Henning, Tennessee, he was singer guitarist and changed his name to reflect his favorite folk song, "The Ballard of John Henry". He toured in the 1930s throughout the south playing slide guitar and released his first record "Six Weeks Old Blues" on the Vocalion label in 1938. The record had good success followed by hits to include "God Knows I Can't Help It", "Six Weeks Old Blues", "Against My Will", "Early In The Morning" and "No Pickin, No Pullin". Through the 1940s and 1950s, he toured as a regular on the Blues and Folk Festival circuits. In early 1964, after a European tour with Howlin' Wolf and Lightning Hopkins, he returned to the U.S., purchased an automobile and accidentally ran over and killed a man. He was locked up in a Chicago jail and died of a heart attack ten days before his 59th birthday.
Blues Musician. Born William George Tucker in Henning, Tennessee, he was singer guitarist and changed his name to reflect his favorite folk song, "The Ballard of John Henry". He toured in the 1930s throughout the south playing slide guitar and released his first record "Six Weeks Old Blues" on the Vocalion label in 1938. The record had good success followed by hits to include "God Knows I Can't Help It", "Six Weeks Old Blues", "Against My Will", "Early In The Morning" and "No Pickin, No Pullin". Through the 1940s and 1950s, he toured as a regular on the Blues and Folk Festival circuits. In early 1964, after a European tour with Howlin' Wolf and Lightning Hopkins, he returned to the U.S., purchased an automobile and accidentally ran over and killed a man. He was locked up in a Chicago jail and died of a heart attack ten days before his 59th birthday.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
Gravesite Details
Headstone was placed by the Killer Blues Headstone Project
Advertisement
See more Barbee memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
