Where they’re from: Monticello, Mississippi

Who they are: Lenoir was born in Monticello, Mississippi. His full given name was simply “J. B.”; the letters were not initials. Lenoir’s guitar-playing father introduced him to the music of Blind Lemon Jefferson, which became a major influence. During the early 1940s, Lenoir worked with the blues artists Sonny Boy Williamson II and Elmore James in New Orleans.[6] He was later influenced by Arthur Crudup and Lightnin’ Hopkins.
Lenoir’s work had overtly political content relating to racism and the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Years active: 1950s–1967

Essential albums: Alabama Blues (1965), Vietnam Blues (1995)