Pryor was born in [[Lambert, Mississippi]] and developed a [[Delta blues]] style influenced by both [[Sonny Boy Williamson I]] and [[Sonny Boy Williamson II]]. He moved to Chicago around 1940.
While serving in the Army he would blow bugle calls through the powerful [[PA system]], which led him to experiment with playing the harmonica that way. Upon discharge from the army in 1945, he obtained his own amplifier, and introduced the sound to [[Maxwell Street]] audiences, becoming a regular in the [[Chicago blues]] scene.
Pryor recorded some of the first postwar [[Chicago blues]] records in 1948, including "Telephone Blues" and
"Snooky & Moody's Boogie" with guitarist Moody Jones. He moved south to
[[Ullin, Illinois]] in 1967, where he dropped out of sight, but was rediscovered in 1987 (WRONG! Snooky Pryor was "rediscovered" and interviewed by Amy van Singel and Jim O'Neal for Living Blues Magazine in 1971 ... thanks to Homesick James' help.) and resumed periodic recording until his death in nearby [[Cape Girardeau, Missouri]] at the age of 85.
In January 1973 he made his comeback with the American Blues Legends tour which played throughout Europe (including Loughborough University in the UK), alongside Homesick James. Whilst on this tour they recorded an album in London "Homesick James & Snooky Pryor"
ALBUMS
Homesick James & Snooky Pryor (1973) Virgin Records, London "Do It If You Want To" (1973) ABC Records, Los Angeles, New York Snooky (1989) Blind Pig Records Snooky Pryor (1991) Paula Records Johnny Shines and Snooky Pryor: Back To The Country (1991) Blind Pig Records Snooky Pryor: Too Cool To Move (1992) Antones In This Mess Up to My Chest (1994) Antones Mind Your Own Business (1996) Antones Snooky Pryor: Shake My Hand (1999) Blind Pig Records Snooky Pryor and his Mississippi Wrecking Crew (2002) Electro-Fi Mojo Ramble (2003) Electro-Fi Double Shot Snooky Pryor and Mel Brown (2005) Electro-Fi
SINGLES
"Boogie" (A-side) "Telephone Blues" (B-side) (1948) Planet "Someone to Love Me" (a) "Judgement Day" (b) (1956) Vee Jay Records
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