Little Joe Blue

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Little Joe Blue

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| background = solo_singer

| birth_name = Joseph Valery, Jr.

| alias =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1934|09|23}}

| birth_place = Vicksburg, Mississippi, United States

| origin =

| death_date = {{death date and age|1990|04|22|1934|09|23}}

| death_place = Reno, Nevada, United States

| instrument = Guitar, vocals

| genre = Electric blues

| occupation = Guitarist, singer

| years_active = Late 1950s–1990

| label = Kent, Jewel, Checker, Evejim and others

| associated_acts =

| website =

}}

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

His most notable track was "Dirty Work Going On",{{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}} which was written by Ferdinand "Fats" Washington,{{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|access-date=8 August 2018}} and originally recorded by Little Joe Blue in 1966. It was released by Checker Records.{{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}} The track peaked at No. 40 in the US Billboard R&B chart.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/little-joe-blue|title=Little Joe Blue|website=Billboard.com|access-date=9 August 2018}}

Career

He was born Joseph Valery, Jr. in Vicksburg, Mississippi, United States. He was brought up in Tallulah, Louisiana, before he relocated in 1951 to Detroit, Michigan, to work in the automobile plants.{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Blues|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1995|edition=Second|isbn=0-85112-673-1|page=43}} He also spent over two years in Korea, having been drafted in the United States Army in 1954.

Returning to Detroit, he formed the band the Midnighters in the late 1950s. He moved to Los Angeles, California, where he cut some records for Kent, Jewel and Checker Records in the 1960s. His 1966 song, "Dirty Work Going On" (US Billboard R&B, No. 40),{{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}} was covered by Magic Sam,{{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}} and Shakey Jake Harris,{{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|access-date=9 August 2018}} and by Willie Kent & His Gents.{{cite web|url=http://www.williekentblues.com/discography/discography.html|title=Willie Kent Discography|website=Williekentblues.com|access-date=9 August 2018}}

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.{{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}}

Little Joe Blue recorded for various labels, including Evejim Records, throughout the 1980s. He played at the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1974, travelled to Europe in 1982, and appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival in 1986.{{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}}

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

He died in Reno, Nevada, United States, in April 1990 at the age of 55, from stomach cancer. He had two children: one son and one daughter.

Discography

=Studio albums=

Southern Country Boy (Jewel, 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
Dirty Work Goin' On (Blues Reference) (Black & Blue, 1986 [1993]; 2005 [CD]) - with Melvin Taylor and Billy Branch{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/little-joe-blue-mn0000261092/discography/all|title=Little Joe Blue - Album Discography - AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=8 August 2018}}
Dirty Work Going On (Evejim, 1987)
I'm Doing All Right Again (Evejim, 1989)

=Collaborative albums=

American Blues Legends '75 (Big Bear, 1975)
Chicago Blues Festival '86 (Black & Blue, 1993) - with Eddie Burns

=Compilation albums=

Blue's Blues (Charly, 1987) - Jewel material
Little Joe Blue's Greatest Hits (Evejim, 1996)
The Very Best of Little Joe Blue (Collectables, 2006) - Space and Kris material
The Very Best of Little Joe Blue, Expanded Edition (Fuel 2000, 2012) - Jewel material