Luther Allison

Luther Sylvester Allison was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was born in Widener, Arkansas, although some accounts suggest his actual place of birth was Mayflower, Arkansas. Allison was interested in music as a child and during the late 1940s he toured in a family gospel group called The Southern Travellers. He moved with his family to Chicago in 1951 and attended Farragut High School where he was classmates with Muddy Waters' son. He taught himself guitar and began listening to blues extensively. Three years later he dropped out of school and began hanging around outside blues nightclubs with the hopes of being invited to perform. Allison played with the bands of Howlin' Wolf and Freddie King, taking over King's band when King toured nationally. He worked with Jimmy Dawkins, Magic Sam and Otis Rush, and also backed James Cotton. Chicago Reader has called him "the Jimi Hendrix of blues guitar".

17 August 1939

Born on the same birth day (17 August): Barry Sheerman • Christian Laettner • Colin Moulding • Dan Dakich • Evelyn Ankers • Gail Berman • Geertjan Lassche • Gilby Clarke • John Matthew Rispoli • Mark Salling • Natalie Sandtorv • Patrick Manning • Tony Wrigley

Born in the same month (August 1939): Bob Frankford • Bulle Ogier • Elizabeth Ashley • Eric Weissberg • Fernando Poe Jr. • Ginger Baker • Jack Cunningham, Baron Cunningham of Felling • Maxine Brown (soul singer) • Mike Velarde • Nikola Pilić • Romano Prodi • Ronnie Dawson (musician) • William Least Heat-Moon