| Detroit Junior | |
| Birth Name: | Emery Williams Jr. |
| Birth Date: | 26 October 1931 |
| Birth Place: | Haynes, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Origin: | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Years Active: | 1950s–2005 |
Emery Williams Jr. (October 26, 1931 – August 9, 2005),[1] known as Detroit Junior, was an American blues pianist, vocalist and songwriter. He is known for songs such as "So Unhappy", "Call My Job", "If I Hadn't Been High", "Ella" and "Money Tree". His songs have been covered by Koko Taylor, Albert King and other blues artists.
Born in Haynes, Arkansas,[1] Williams recorded his first single, "Money Tree", with the Bea & Baby label in 1960. His first full album, Chicago Urban Blues, was released in the early 1970s on the Blues on Blues label.[2] He also has recordings on Alligator, Blue Suit, The Sirens Records, and Delmark.
Williams began his career in Detroit, Michigan, backing touring musicians such as Eddie Boyd, John Lee Hooker, and Amos Milburn. Boyd brought him to Chicago in 1956, where he spent the next twelve years. In the early 1970s, Williams toured and recorded with Howlin' Wolf.[2] After the death of Wolf in 1976, Williams returned to Chicago, where he lived and performed until his death from heart failure in 2005.[1] He was a weekly regular at Chicago blues clubs B.L.U.E.S. and Kingston Mines.
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Chicago Urban Blues | Mango |
| 1995 | Turn Up the Heat | Blue Suit |
| 1997 | Take Out the Time | Blue Suit |
| 2003 | 8 Hands on 88 Keys - Chicago Blues Piano Masters | The Sirens Records |
| 2004 | Live at the Toledo Museum of Art | Blue Suit |
| 2004 | Blues on the Internet | Delmark |