Leon Brooks

b. 19 November 1933, Rabbit Foot Farm, near Sunflower, Mississippi, USA, d. 22 January 1982, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Brooks began playing blues harmonica when he was six years old. His original inspiration was Sonny Boy ‘Rice Miller’ Williamson, but after moving to Chicago in the 40s he met Little Walter Jacobs, described by Brooks as ‘my coach’ - a fact evident to anyone who has heard both men’s music. In the 50s, Brooks led his own band on a sporadic basis, and supplied accompaniment to Jimmy Rogers, Otis Rush, Robert Nighthawk, and others. He was disillusioned by the changes in the blues in the early 60s and left music until 1976, when he once again began to sing and play in Chicago’s blues clubs. He died of a heart attack in 1982.