From the Shadow of the Blues: My Story of Music, Addiction, and Redemption

Blues musician and Christian minister Hooker survived being shot, stabbed, and incarcerated multiple times in his life. Now in his early 70s, he shares the story of his bumpy road to redemption, in a memoir cowritten with Julia Simon. Born in Detroit as the son of blues legend John Lee Hooker, Hooker Jr.’s story is not one of luxury and ease. He recalls growing up poor in an unstable family with a father who was frequently on the road and a mother who was often not available. He became addicted to heroin in his teens, finally sobering up late in adulthood. He recounts multiple drug-related arrests and failed stints in rehab programs. He shares stories of touring with his father during which he spent most of the time trying to find drugs. After multiple recoveries and relapses, he found his way to sobriety. Along the way, he worked in prison ministry, mended relationships with family and friends he wronged during his time as someone in active addiction, recorded and toured as a Grammy-nominated artist, and found a new home and life in Germany.