Hooker's recording career began in 1948 when he had a hit single with "Boogie Chillen", performed in a half-spoken style that would become a trademark. Rhythmically, his music was very free, a property which had been common with early acoustic Delta blues musicians. The style been gradually diminishing with the onset of [electric blues]? bands from Chicago but, even when not playing solo, Hooker retained it in his sound. He did, however, maintain a solo career, ever popular with blue afficionados and the folk music fans of the early 60s (thus crossing over to a white audience), and gave an early opportunity to the young Bob Dylan. Another career highlight came in 1989 when he joined up with a number of guest stars, including [Keith Richards]? and [Carlos Santana]? to record The Healer, which won a Grammy award.
Hooker recorded over 100 albums and lived the last years of his life in San Francisco, where he owned a nightclub called the "Boom Boom Room", after one of his hits.
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