Joe Willie Perkins was born 7th July, 1913 in Belzoni, Mississippi, where he was rasied onm a p[lantation in Honey Island. He started out as a guitarist, but after injuring the tendons in his left arm in a knife fight with a chorus girl (you couldn’t make stuff up like this up if you tried) he switched to the piano at around twelve to thirteen years old.
Perkins got the name ‘Pinetop’ because of the success he had with he’s recording of ‘Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie’ at Sam Phillips Sun Studio in Memphis Tennessee. He didn’t actually write this song, it was originally written and recorded in 1928 by ‘Pinetop Smith’, but seeing as he played it so much, well, that’s how nicknames come about.
He took a break when he moved to Illinois, until Hooker persuaded him to record again in 1968 and soon afterwards, Perkins replaced Otis Spann in the Muddy Waters band. After ten years of that, he created the ‘Legendary Blues Band’ with ‘Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith’.
Although he appeared on many recordings, he never had an album of his own until 1988 with ‘After Hours’. Perkins played a cameo role in the 1980 film ‘The Blues Brothers’ outside of Aretha Franklin’s Cafe. He also appeared in the 1987 film ‘Angel Heart’ as a member of a band.
Pinetop Perkins was one of the last of what you might call the original blues-men, he had even known Robert Johnson in the past, but legend or not, nobody can yet live forever. _Perkins past away on the 21st March, 2011 of a cardiac arrest at his home in Austin Texas. He had many performances booked that he sadly could never make, although he had conceded that he couldn’t play like he used to. But at ninety-seven, it’s amazing that he was still around and playing at all, let alone playing live, impressive to say the least.
| Pinetop Perkins – After Hours | 1988 |
| Got My Mojo Workin’ After Hours The Hucklebuck Sit In The Easy Chair Thinks Like A Million Chicken Shack | I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man Yancey Special (Instrumental) Every Day I Have The Blues Anna Lee You Don’t Have To Go Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie |
| Pinetop Perkins – Boogie Woogie King | 1992 |
| Pinetop Is Just Top Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie Take A Little Walk With Me Rockin’ The Boogie | So Many Days Jacksontown Gal Sweet Black Angel Lend Me Your Love |
| Pinetop Perkins – With The Blue Ice Band | 1992 |
| Kidney Stew Yonder’s Wall Sunnyland Slim Hi Heel Sneakers Whiskey Headed Woman | For You My Love Just Keep On Drinking Got My Mojo Working Merry Christmas Baby Don’t Start Me Talking |
| Pinetop Perkins – On Top | 1992 |
| Kidney Stew Just Keep On Drinking Down In Mississippi Five Long Years Yancey Special Four Hand Strut | Since I Fell For You Pinetoppin’ Little Girl Look On Yonder Wall Worried Life Blues Just A Gigolo |
| Pinetop Perkins – Portrait of a Delta Bluesman | 1993 |
| Beginnings Come Back Baby Big Fat Mama The Chimney Story Baby, What You Want Me To Do Pinetop’s First Band Chicago Stomp Stabbed By An Angry Woman Chains Of Love Earning His Name | Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie Delta Ramblings Grindin’ Man The Wolf And The Mule Forty Four When I Lost My Baby Early Piano Influences Caldonia Joining Muddy Waters Band Pinetop’s Blues |
| Ronnie Earl, Pinetop Perkins, Calvin Jones, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith – Eye To Eye | 1996 |
| How Long Country Girl Tops Boogie Woogie Eye To Eye Yonders Wall Ronnies Blues Shake For Me | Miss Ida B. Kidney Stew I Woke Up This Morning Take It Easy Baby Anna Lee Forty Four Blues |
| Pinetop Perkins – Sweet Back Angel | 1998 |
| Lend Me Your Love What’s The Matter With The Mill Five Long Years Down The Road I’ll Go View From The Top Look On Yonder Wall Who’s Ol’ Muddy Shoes | I’d Rather Quit Her Than Hit Her Rain Pinetop’s Special How Long Blues Sweet Black Angel (silence) |
| Pinetop Perkins / Hubert Sumlin – Legends | 1998 |
| Got My Mojo Working Nutcracker Rock Me Baby Hoochie Coochie Man The Sky Is Crying Pinto Beans And Blackeyed Peas | Take It Easy Baby Shame, Shame, Shame Come Back Baby Sunnyland Slim She Walks Right In |
| Pinetop Perkins – Down In Mississippi | 1998 |
| Down In Mississippi Song For Sunnyland Slim Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie Little Girl, Little Girl Just A Little Bit How Long Miss Ida B | I Almost Lost My Mind Big Fat Mama Five Long Years Take It Easy Baby Pinetop’s Piano Shuffl Kidney Stew |
| Pinetop Perkins – Live At 85 | 1999 |
| Chicken Shack Just A Little Bit High Heel Sneakers Look On Yonder’s Wall How Long | Down In Mississippi Ida B. Kidney Stew Hoochie Coochie Man Hold It |
| Pinetop Perkins – Back On top | 2000 |
| Anna Lee Down in Mississippi Kansas City Five Long Years Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie | Hi-Heel Sneakers How Long, How Long Blues Just a Little Bit Thinks Like A Million Pinetop’s Blues |
| Pinetop Perkins – Heritage of the Blues: The Complete Hightone Sessions | 2003 |
| Down in Mississippi Song for Sunnyland Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie Kansas City Little Girl, Little Girl Just a Little Bit How Long Miss Ida B. | I Almost Lost My Mind Big Fat Mama Five Long Years Eddie Boyd Take It Easy Baby Everyday I Have the Blues Pinetop’s Piano Shuffle Kidney Stew |
| Pinetop Perkins / Bob Margolin – All-Star Blues Jam | 2003 |
| Brutal-Hearted Woman Sweet (Little) Black Angel One Day You’re Gonna Get Lucky I’ll Take Care Of You Juke Mean Old Chicago Always On My Mind Easy To Love You | Last Time Maybe The Hippies Were Right Country Boy Crazy ‘Bout You baby My New Baby Owns A Whiskey Store Goin’ Down Slow Just A Closer Walk With Thee |
| Pinetop Perkins – Ladies Man | 2004 |
| Meanest Women Since I Lost My Baby Big Fat Mama He’s Got Me Goin Chains Of Love Kansas City | Pinetop’s New Boogie Woogie How Long Hey Mr. Pinetop Perkins Trouble In Mind Careless Love Chicken Shack |
| Pinetop Perkins – Pinetop Perkins And Friends | 2008 |
| Take It Easy Baby Got My Mojo Working Down In Mississippi How Long Blues / Come Back Baby Hoochie Coochie Man | Barefootin’ Look On Yonders Wall Anna Lee s Sweet Home Chicago Bad Luck Baby |
| Pinetop Perkins – Joined At The Hip | 2010 |
| Grown Up To Be A Man Cut That Out Take Your Eyes Off My Woman Walkin’ Down The Highway Gambling Blues I Would Like To Have A Girl Like You Take My Hand, Precious Lord | You’d Better Slow Down Minor Blues I Feel So Good Lord, Lord, Lord Grindin’ Man Eyesight To The Blind |
| Pinetop Perkins – Heaven | 2012 |
| 44 Blues 4 O’Clock In The Morning Relaxin’ Sitting On Top Of The World Just Keep On Drinking Since I Fell For You | Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie Ida B Sweet Home Chicago Pinetop’s Blues Willow Weep For Me That’s All Right |