Luther Tucker

By: Greg Johnson

Article Reprint from the January 2001 BluesNotes
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Sometimes artists come into peak form at an early age and find trouble maintaining that level of success for the duration of their careers. Sometimes they even fade into obscurity after a few brief moments of glory. That is the unfortunate fate of being a teen prodigy. But, sometimes these early glimpses of genius are just a harbinger of the ripe future to yet unfold. Little Walter possessed this gift and thrived; as did Junior Wells, Lightnin' Hopkins, James Cotton and so very few others.

Luther Tucker made such a impact. Though nowhere near the sensation that today's mass media can create. Still his unique style of rhythm-like lead guitar played a major role in the hits of many legendary artists' most-noted recordings. It stirred the interest of countless admirers and would later enchant a whole new Blues community halfway across the country from his humble beginnings.

He was born in Memphis, Tennessee on January 20, 1936. His father was a carpenter and his mother worked as a boogie pianist and guitarist. The family moved to Chicago when Luther was, seven years old. When Luther was in his early teens, his mother introduced him to the patriarch of Chicago Blues, Big Bill Broonzy. Her intentions were to help keep young Luther from beginning a life of disrepute as he was already mixing with the wrong crowd. He had already shown a fondness for music and she was hoping that Broonzy would instill desires toward studying the guitar. But, Broonzy had quite the opposite effect. He would tease him, telling him that he'd never be able to play.

Fortunately, for Luther, a frequent visitor to Broonzy's home was guitarist, Robert Jr. Lockwood. And, Lockwood took a shine to the youngster. It has often been said that history repeats itself. As a young man, Robert Lockwood was befriended by his mother's common-law husband Robert Johnson, who took him under his wing and taught him the fine points of playing the Blues. Now Robert Jr was passing this same information on to Luther Tucker.

Rusty Zinn: Robert was obviously a huge influence of Luther. He constantly referred to him as Mr. Robert Jr Lockwood. He had a whole lot of respect for him. There are a lot of similarities in their playing; you can definitely tell that Luther was a student of Robert's.

Kenny Blue Ray: He worked with Robert Jr. Lockwood, so Luther must have got the stuff straight from Robert Johnson via Robert Lockwood.

Bill Rhoades: When he first started playing be was pretty wild. He said that Robert Jr took him under his wing and. showed him a lot of nice things on the guitar, how to behave in a band, in the clubs and just how to conduct himself.

Lockwood's lessons paid off for Luther. Barely only 15, he accepted a position playing with his renowned uncle, saxophonist J.T. "Big Boy" Brown. Together they worked the circuit of Blues clubs throughout the Midwest and Midsouth.

Upon returning to Chicago, Robert Jr Lockwood took Luther to Chess Studios in 1952. Harmonica master, Little Walter, who had recently departed the Muddy Waters Band following the success of his single "Juke", was putting together a new band and decided that he would use two guitarists. Lockwood convinced Walter to hire Tucker despite his youth. In October of that year, Luther made his debut recording on the song "Blue Midnight". He would continue to work with Walter's band for the next eight years, appearing on such noted songs as "Key To The Highway", "Last Night", "Mellow Down Easy" and "Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)".

His personal guitar stylings were already beginning to shine, though the older bluesmen did not want to give up their solos to the youngster. He also contributed to the songwriting, also without much credit.

Rich Kirch: You listen to the stuff he played with Little Walter and a lot of it was the same he was playing when he passed.

Rusty Zinn: "Blue And Lonesome" behind Little Walter, that's dynamite! "The Toodle", by Little Walter. Though he didn't like to brag, Luther told me he wrote that song and it kind of makes sense. It's the kind of thing that he would've come up with and he probably brought the idea into the studio. And, being the genius that Little Walter was, he obviously just rode with it.

His studio work and touring with Little Walter helped to make Luther Tucker an in-demand session player. Up through the mid-1960s he recorded extensively with many of the genre's top artists. He appeared on well-known numbers such as Muddy Waters' "She's Nineteen Years Old", "Five Long Years" and "Elevate Me Mama". Works with Sonny Boy Williamson II would include "Your Funeral And My Trial", "Fattening Frogs For Snakes", "One Way Out" and "Little Village". Luther's guitar was also featured on recordings by Otis Spann, Jimmy Rogers, and in 1966, the landmark recordings of "Chicago/The Blues/Today! Volume 2" found Tucker paired as second guitarist to West Side master Otis Rush.

Otis Rush went as far as to tell Guitar Player Magazine reporter Jas Obrecht that Luther Tucker was his ideal version of a rhythm guitar player.

Patrick Ford: Tucker spent so much time with those guys, where he wasn't the front guy. He was the back guy, but he was allowed a lot of room to expose himself. He took advantage of every opening they gave him, but at the same time, he always had great respect for the front guy. He would stay far enough back where he wouldn't interfere and yet he would be there and was always putting a force into the music. He had that ability, even with Otis Rush. You can listen and tell it's Luther back there. It's very obvious and it's a cool thing that he could be a second man or rhythm player and still have an impact on us.

In the latter half of the 1960s, Luther Tucker joined the James Cotton Blues Band. He appeared on two albums under the Verve label, "Cotton In Your Ears" and "Pure Cotton", both released in 1967. His presence helped gain acclaim for the band and they found themselves performing in larger Rock venues around the country, including The Fillmore in San Francisco. Working with Cotton put his guitar into the lead position and it also displayed an untouched talent of Luther's as well, as Tucker sings for the first time on disc.

Rusty Zinn: I really love "Fallin' Rain" with him singing on the James Cotton record "Pure Cotton".

Bill Rhoades: The stuff he did on early James Cotton just floored me. He was a monster.

Patrick Ford: I remember my brother Robben calling me on the telephone one time. He said, "Pat, I found it!" I said, "You found what?" And he said, "Listen." Over the phone I could hear him starting to play his guitar cranked up, and it was Robben emulating the Tucker tone from the first James Cotton album. For years he'd been trying to find that tone.

While still a member of the James Cotton Blues Band, Luther relocated to the San Francisco area in 1969, having found a fondness for the area on their recent tours. Almost immediately he became one of the guiding forces behind the local Blues community. Continuing in the role as the ultimate sideman, he also played as a member in a number of groups in the Bay Area.

Patrick Ford. He came out from Chicago and was just sort of floating free. Robben and I were leaving the Charlie Musselwhite Band and forming the Charles Ford Band. Luther joined up with my brothers and I and we spent a couple of weeks woodshedding. But, that didn't happen. We just became a four-piece without the extra guitar. This band required that Robben and Mark be the front guys. We had so much respect for Luther we couldn't see him not being the front guy.

Terry Hanck: About 1971, I had a band called Grayson Street. Somehow I managed to talk Luther into joining the band. I was only 26, still quite green, and very shy on stage. The first gig was at a little club called the Steppenwolf in Berkeley; the first song was an Elmore James instrumental that Luther used to call "Elmore's Boogie". The band was tight and you could feel the energy and excitement build in the room. When we finished the song, the crowd erupted, but as the applause died down, Luther and I just stared at one another with that 'doe in the headlight' panic. Neither one of us wanted to take charge. Little did I know, he was shyer than I was. That night went up and down from thunderous applause to uncomfortable silence. It was excruciating! We went on like this for several months, until Luther began working with John Lee Hooker.

In late 1971, Luther became a member of John Lee Hooker's Coast-to-Coast Band. He appeared on the "Free Chicken And Beer" LP, with the song "Bluebird" fully capturing his distinctive guitar sound. Other recordings made with Hooker included "Live At The Cafe Au Go-Go (And Soledad Prison)" and "Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive". Luther would work with John Lee Hooker for three years full-time and make occasional appearances as a band member well into the 1980s.

In 1973, he moved across the Bay to Marin County and formed the Luther Tucker Band. Many respected Bluesmen living in Northern California spent time as members of the band, including Bill Singletary, Freddie Roulette, Rich Kirch, Big Bill Ganaye and Twist Turner. Harmonica player Jill Baxter joined the band in 1982 and later became Luther's life partner as well.

Bill Singletary: A lot of guys would come to the gigs. People like Rusty Zinn and Elvin Bishop. The guitar players would always come to hear Luther. I think he influenced people a lot. Luther was not recognized nearly enough for what he did.

Rusty Zinn: Guys like Elvin Bishop and Little Charlie Baty, I hear bits and pieces of Tucker in them. Any Blues guitar player in the Bay Area with any taste at all is going to realize that he was a force to be reckoned with.

During the mid-1980s, Luther frequently ventured to Austin, Texas, where he performed at the famed Antone's Blues Club. Once again, he found himself backing James Cotton on tours and for a handful of LPs, including the Grammy nominated "Live" in 1988 which paired him alongside guitarist Matt "Guitar" Murphy.

Bob Margolin: In 1990, I did a 10-week tour with James Cotton, which included Luther Tucker. I got to know him as a friend and learned from him on the bandstand. He was cool and quiet, but had a sharp, dry wit. One time, as we both watched a beautiful woman walk down the street, I laughed and said to Luther "Take a number." Luther responded, "One." At the 1990 Chicago Blues Festival, there was a jam at Buddy Guy's Club that featured some great players: Buddy, Albert Collins, Otis Rush and Luther Tucker. Luther decisively smoked them all.

Luther was in Austin again in 1993, finally given the opportunity to record an album as the front man. "Sad Hours", released on the Antone's label, featured Luther alongside many of the city's most renowned musicians: Kim Wilson, Reese Wynans, George Rains, Tony Coleman, Mark Kazanoff and Russell Jackson among them. The album showcased Luther's unique "flutter" guitar style, which was almost mandolin-like and distinctively his own. It received critical acclaim, but unfortunately, Luther would not realize this.

Luther was an extremely generous individual. He hated the notion of disappointing anybody, which occasionally led to his double-, even triple-booking gigs for the same time. He also liked to party, which included drug use. Luther also suffered with heart ailments that hospitalized him several times and resulted in at least one angioplasty. But, Luther refused to turn away from his friends and fans, despite his health.

Twist Turner: One night after Luther got out of the hospital for angioplasty, I walked out the back door of a club and caught him doing some coke. I asked him what he was doing? I told him that with his heart that shit was going to kill him. He just replied, "The good Lord will take me when it's my time."

After recording "Sad Hours" in Austin, Luther returned to the Bay Area and began working with The Ford Blues Band. Two recording sessions were completed in April, but a third was cancelled as Luther cited poor health. The group then traveled to Germany for a festival in May, where they performed several sets solo and behind the great Lowell Fulson.

Patrick Ford: We did some shows with Lowell and we had Tucker come up and sit in with us. He would stay up real late with all these musicians from around the world. Somewhat partying and somewhat just visiting. One day we were walking to rehearsal and Tucker was walking so slow he couldn't keep up with us. I asked him, "Luther are you okay?" He said, "I can't breathe too good." Jill had told me before we had left to make sure that he got his heart medicine, because he was having problems. But, he would just commit himself so much. He was playing these long hours, then would visit and party with friends and the next day he'd be right there for you again. He just kept giving of himself, but wouldn't take care of himself.

Luther returned to the United States in early June. On June 17, 1993, he suffered another heart attack and was admitted to Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae, California. He died the next day at the age of 57. His body was returned to Chicago, where he is buried in Restville Cemetery in an unmarked plot.

"Sad Hours" was released three months following his death, an album intended to be his first of many proved to be his coda. His performances with The Ford Blues Band had been recorded in Germany and were used to complete the sessions they had been working on. These selections were released as "Luther Tucker & The Ford Blues Band" in 1995.

A tribute concert was held for Luther Tucker in San Francisco at Slim's. Many of the musicians and friends that his life had touched appeared there in his honor, including John Lee Hooker, Elvin Bishop, Boz Scaggs, Mark Naftalin, Billy Boy Arnold and Freddie Roulette. His life and music are sorely missed by many in the Bay Area, Chicago and around the world. And, it still holds deeply nearly eight years later.

James Cotton: Luther Tucker was a very good Blues guitarist. I miss him and I guess I always will.

Bob Margolin: He could make that double-picking sound powerful and intense, not over-played as when others try it. He was the most rhythmic musician I've ever heard. When he ran-bass or chord patterns he swung so hard that he'd take everyone in the room with him. There's a little guitar lick that Luther used to use in a slow Blues, and I do it every night I play.

Bill Singletary: I miss him like crazy. I think the three-and-a-half years I spent with Luther was my luckiest time in music. You don't get a chance to play with guys like that too much anymore.

Twist Turner. He was by far the best guitarist I ever worked with.

Kenny Blue Ray: Luther Tucker was a great person and player. I loved Tucker. He was a great dude.

Rich Kirch: He was one of the most humble, nicest guys you could ever meet. Every time that he would pay the band, he gave you the money and would say, "I wish it could be more, brother." Everybody I know really misses Luther.

Luther Tucker

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