Lee Baker Jr., better known as Lonnie Brooks, learned to play the blues from his banjo-picking grandfather. His professional music career began after he moved to Port Arthur, Texas, in the early 1950s. One day, while he was playing guitar on his front porch, zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier happened to hear him and immediately offered him a job in his band. Under the stage name Guitar Junior, Brooks soon became a regional R&B star, scoring successful singles including “Family Rules” and “The Crawl,” both recorded for the Goldband label.

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In 1969, Capitol Records released his debut album, Broke an’ Hungry, still under the name Guitar Junior. His national breakthrough arrived in 1978 when Alligator Records selected him for the Grammy-nominated Living Chicago Blues anthology, which showcased rising and established Chicago blues talent. This led to a full contract with Alligator and, in 1979, the release of his label debut Bayou Lightning, which earned the prestigious Grand Prix du Disque Award from the 1980 Montreux Jazz Festival. Brooks’ profile continued to rise with his appearance on the Grammy-nominated Blues Deluxe anthology, recorded live at ChicagoFest in 1980, where he delivered what many consider the definitive modern rendition of “Sweet Home Chicago,” performing alongside legends such as Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon.

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Brooks’ reputation as a fierce live performer continued to attract major admirers. During the Chicago stop of Eric Clapton’s 1995 From the Cradle club tour, Clapton honored him by inviting him onstage at Buddy Guy’s Legends for an impromptu and widely celebrated jam session. Brooks later expanded his presence into film, appearing in Blues Brothers 2000 and The Express: The Ernie Davis Story.

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Lonnie Brooks’ mix of Louisiana swamp feel, Texas grit, and Chicago electricity made him one of the most distinctive blues guitarists of his generation—an artist whose influence bridged regions and styles with ease.