John Lee Hooker
 

An interview from years ago... John Lee Hooker



Q: The cultural co-optation of Black people is very blatent in the musical field; white singers have “borrowed” our lyrics and singing style, and have gone on become famous making millions of dollars imitating Black music and singers. Would you say that this is one of the main reasons why so many Black Blues singers have never received the exposure necessary to “make it” in the music world?


HOOKER: Yes, it’s true. They take our songs and make triple the amount we would make. We do the same songs and do them better. Whites have made bundles off the Blues, and I didn’t start to make it until lately. They stole our lyrics and our songs and there wasn’t too much we could do about it. Big Mama Thorton and the song “Hound Dog” - Elvis Presley did it - and made millions off that song. But Big Mama wrote it; she’s very angry about it right now, everytime it comes up - and she sang it five times better than he did - she didn’t get a dime.



In other words JLH is saying white men can't jump or play blues licks. ROFLMAO.
;^/

The sad part is most people still don't even know who Big Mama Thornton was.

Janis Joplin did.

When?