# Little Joe Blue

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{{short description|American singer and guitarist}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name             = Little Joe Blue
| image            = 
| caption          = 
| image_size       = 
| background       = solo_singer
| birth_name       = Joseph Valery, Jr.
| birth_date       = {{Birth date|1934|09|23}}
| birth_place      = [Vicksburg](/source/Vicksburg%2C_Mississippi), [Mississippi](/source/Mississippi), United States
| death_date       = {{death date and age|1990|04|22|1934|09|23}} 
| death_place      = [Reno](/source/Reno%2C_Nevada), [Nevada](/source/Nevada), United States 
| instrument       = Guitar, vocals
| genre            = [Electric blues](/source/Electric_blues)<ref name="amg"/>
| occupation       = Guitarist, singer
| years_active     = Late 1950s–1990
| label            = [Kent](/source/Kent_Records), [Jewel](/source/Jewel_Records_(Shreveport_record_label)), [Checker](/source/Checker_Records), [Evejim](/source/Evejim_Records) and others
}}

'''Little Joe Blue''' (September 23, 1934 – April 22, 1990)<ref name="amg">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/little-joe-blue-mn0000261092|title=Little Joe Blue - Biography & History - AllMusic|website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)|access-date=8 August 2018}}</ref> was an American [electric blues](/source/electric_blues) singer and guitarist. His musical style was often compared to [B. B. King](/source/B._B._King).<ref name="amg"/>

His most notable track was "Dirty Work Going On",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0igEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22billboard%22.+%22little+joe+blue%22.+%22Dirty+work+going+on%22&pg=PA20|title=Billboard|page=20|date=18 June 1966|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|access-date=9 August 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref> which was written by Ferdinand "Fats" Washington,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/dirty-work-going-on-mt0012115600|title=Dirty Work Going On - Little Joe Blue - Song Info - AllMusic|website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)|access-date=8 August 2018}}</ref> and originally recorded by Little Joe Blue in 1966. It was released by [Checker Records](/source/Checker_Records).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/nc931027us|title=Little Joe Blue - Dirty Work Going On|website=45cat.com|access-date=9 August 2018}}</ref> The track peaked at No. 40 in the [US](/source/United_States) ''[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))'' [R&B](/source/Hot_R%26B%2FHip-Hop_Songs) [chart](/source/record_chart).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/little-joe-blue|title=Little Joe Blue|website=Billboard.com|access-date=9 August 2018}}</ref>

==Career==
He was born '''Joseph Valery, Jr.''' in [Vicksburg](/source/Vicksburg%2C_Mississippi), [Mississippi](/source/Mississippi), United States.<ref name="amg"/> He was brought up in [Tallulah, Louisiana](/source/Tallulah%2C_Louisiana), before he relocated in 1951 to [Detroit](/source/Detroit), [Michigan](/source/Michigan), to work in the automobile plants.<ref name="LarkinBlues">{{cite book|title=[The Guinness Who's Who of Blues](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Popular_Music)|editor=[Colin Larkin](/source/Colin_Larkin_(writer))|publisher=[Guinness Publishing](/source/Guinness_Publishing)|date=1995|edition=Second|isbn=0-85112-673-1|page=43}}</ref> He also spent over two years in Korea, having been drafted in the [United States Army](/source/United_States_Army) in 1954.<ref name="LarkinBlues"/>

Returning to Detroit, he formed the band the Midnighters in the late 1950s. He moved to [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles), [California](/source/California), where he cut some records for [Kent](/source/Kent_Records), [Jewel](/source/Jewel_Records_(Shreveport_record_label)) and [Checker Records](/source/Checker_Records) in the 1960s.<ref name="amg"/> His 1966 song, "Dirty Work Going On" ([US](/source/United_States) ''[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))'' [R&B](/source/Hot_R%26B%2FHip-Hop_Songs), No. 40),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicvf.com/Little+Joe+Blue.art|title=Little Joe Blue Songs • Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography • Music VF, US & UK hits charts|website=Musicvf.com|access-date=9 August 2018}}</ref> was covered by [Magic Sam](/source/Magic_Sam),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Magic-Sam-Rockin-Wild-In-Chicago/release/11401992|title=Magic Sam - Rockin' Wild In Chicago|website=Discogs.com|access-date=9 August 2018}}</ref> and [Shakey Jake Harris](/source/Shakey_Jake_Harris),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-sylvios-1968-mw0002506647|title=Live at Sylvio's: 1968 - Magic Sam, Shakey Jake - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic|website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)|access-date=9 August 2018}}</ref> and by [Willie Kent](/source/Willie_Kent) & His Gents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.williekentblues.com/discography/discography.html|title=Willie Kent Discography|website=Williekentblues.com|access-date=9 August 2018}}</ref>

In 1975, he travelled to Europe to take part in the ''American Blues Legends'' tour and album recording, organised by the UK-based [Big Bear Records](/source/Big_Bear_Records).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Illustrated Big Bear Records discography|url=https://www.wirz.de/music/bigbear.htm|access-date=2020-11-25|website=www.wirz.de}}</ref>

Little Joe Blue recorded for various labels, including [Evejim Records](/source/Evejim_Records), throughout the 1980s.<ref name="amg" /> He played at the [San Francisco Blues Festival](/source/San_Francisco_Blues_Festival) in 1974, travelled to Europe in 1982, and appeared at the [Chicago Blues Festival](/source/Chicago_Blues_Festival) in 1986.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fva45|title=Valery, Joseph, Jr. [Little Joe Blue] (1934–1990)|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=24 January 2015}}</ref>

''Little Joe Blue's Greatest Hits'' (1996), a two-album set available on CD via [Evejim](/source/Evejim_Records), included (among others) the tracks "Dirty Work Going On", "Encourage Me Baby", "[Don't Start Me to Talkin'](/source/Don't_Start_Me_Talkin')" and [Little Milton](/source/Little_Milton)'s "How Could You Do It to Me".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/greatest-hits-mw0000069535|title=Greatest Hits - Little Joe Blue - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic|website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)|access-date=8 August 2018}}</ref>

He died in [Reno](/source/Reno%2C_Nevada), [Nevada](/source/Nevada), United States,<ref name="amg"/> in April 1990 at the age of 55, from [stomach cancer](/source/stomach_cancer).<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> He had two children: one son and one daughter.

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
* ''Southern Country Boy'' ([Jewel](/source/Jewel_Records_(Shreveport_record_label)), 1972; Paula, 1997 [CD])
* ''Happy Here – Earthy Blues'' (Space, 1973)
* ''Blue & The Blues Are Back'' (Kris, 1978)
* ''Don't Tax Me In'' (Flyright Records, 1978)
* ''Just Like B.'' (Jewel, 1980)
* ''Best Of The Blues'' (Kris, 1981)
* ''It's My Turn Now'' (Empire Enterprise, 1984) - with [Smokin' Joe Kubek](/source/Smokin'_Joe_Kubek)
* ''Dirty Work Goin' On (Blues Reference)'' ([Black & Blue](/source/Black_%26_Blue_Records), 1986 [1993]; 2005 [CD]) - with [Melvin Taylor](/source/Melvin_Taylor) and [Billy Branch](/source/Billy_Branch)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/little-joe-blue-mn0000261092/discography/all|title=Little Joe Blue - Album Discography - AllMusic|website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)|access-date=8 August 2018}}</ref>
* ''Dirty Work Going On'' ([Evejim](/source/Evejim_Records), 1987)
* ''I'm Doing All Right Again'' (Evejim, 1989)

===Collaborative albums===
* ''American Blues Legends '75'' (Big Bear, 1975)
* ''Chicago Blues Festival '86'' ([Black & Blue](/source/Black_%26_Blue_Records), 1993) - with [Eddie Burns](/source/Eddie_Burns)

===Compilation albums===
* ''Blue's Blues'' ([Charly](/source/Charly_Records), 1987) - Jewel material
* ''Little Joe Blue's Greatest Hits'' (Evejim, 1996)
* ''The Very Best of Little Joe Blue'' ([Collectables](/source/Collectables_Records), 2006) - Space and Kris material
* ''The Very Best of Little Joe Blue, Expanded Edition'' ([Fuel 2000](/source/Fuel_2000), 2012) - Jewel material

==See also==
*[List of blues musicians](/source/List_of_blues_musicians)
*[List of electric blues musicians](/source/List_of_electric_blues_musicians)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.wirz.de/music/littlejb.htm Illustrated Little Joe Blue discography]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blue, Little Joe}}
Category:1934 births
Category:1990 deaths
Category:Musicians from Vicksburg, Mississippi
Category:Guitarists from Mississippi
Category:American blues guitarists
Category:American male guitarists
Category:American blues singers
Category:Electric blues musicians
Category:Checker Records artists
Category:Kent Records artists
Category:Jewel Records artists
Category:20th-century American singers
Category:20th-century American guitarists
Category:Deaths from stomach cancer in Nevada
Category:20th-century American male musicians
Category:Black & Blue Records artists

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Little Joe Blue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Joe_Blue) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Joe_Blue?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.