Zakiya Hooker

John Lee Hooker’s Talented Daughter Finds Her Way Forward By Lee Zimmerman boundaries of the There are those that would argue that blues and integrate it being the offspring of a famous artist might with jazz, soul, rock, provide a free ticket to fame and fortune. That country, and R&B to theory is certainly easy to understand. After create a sound she can all, taking advantage of the family history and call her own. accompanying connections could easily provide a pathway to recording opportunities, Her latest a fast track to a record company and a album, fittingly titled checklist of superior session players eager to Legacy, demonstrates lend their services to any subsequent the broad artistic sessions. palette that she so On the other hand, it can also be a eagerly embraces. Her burden. How so? Just ask Julian Lennon, fifth outing overall, James McCartney, AJ Croce, or any number it’s also her most of other commercially-challenged children impressive in both its who couldn’t quite overcome the public’s sound and scope. It unreasonable expectations and absolute need finds her at a peak of to associate their parents’ craft and creativity prowess with with whatever original sounds their sons and confidence and daughters choose to share. It’s a high bar to creativity. be sure, and one that’s often thrust on any Coproduced by her child with ambitions of their own, especially husband and an R&B those who know better than to compete with artist himself, Ollan their forebear’s lingering legacy. Christopher, and Like the others who set out to follow Anthony Cook, it was the path plowed by their parents, Zakiya recorded in the Hooker knew early on that the spirit of her recording facility father — the great blues legend John Lee Christopher founded Hooker — would always loom large over with her father, Boom anything she attempted on her own. NeverBoom Studios in rural theless, she persevered and slowly built an Georgia. Notably too, impressive catalog all her own. Nevertheless, it gives Hooker an his influence on her is, of course, indelible, opportunity to show and easily understood. Prior to going out on off the skills and her own, she wrote and recorded with her dad savvy she’s honed on prior to his passing in 2001. She continues to stages worldwide, share his songs in live performance. Yet she’s even when relegated never allowed his iconic presence to to a studio setting. overshadow her own efforts, choosing instead Indeed, Legacy boasts to not only mine the music bestowed on her any number of self-penned highlights, from her own. by her birthright, but to also expand the the smooth groove of “Big Girl Panties,” the crisp and clean We recently had an opportunity to “Beautiful Eyes” and speak with this tenacious and talented artist sweet but assured and get her view of what it takes to make it in “Love The Pain the sometimes manic world of music. Away” to the countryinfused sentiment of Rock And Blues International: It can the beautiful ballad be intimidating to be the son or daughter of a “One More Day” and famous father — people have certain the bluesy bluster of expectations and want to hold you to that “Hang On For a higher standard. How have you been able to While” and “What Am deal with that and come out from under the I Gonna Do.” shadow of to your father? In a word, Zakiya Hooker: When my father was Hooker’s made her alive and I started doing music professionally, masterpiece, a work he was kind of leery because he knew what it well worthy of the was like in the music world for a man, and legacy she’s living up that it was going to be much harder for me. to Not just because I am a female, but because I carry the Hooker name. I told him that “I’ve had my people expected me to do blues like him. He ups and I’ve had my looked at me and said, “You do your music downs,” Hooker like you do your music and don’t try to be insists on opening me. Your music is how you feel it and people track “Front Door To will accept it.”. Hell,” but regardless, I will always be in the shadow of my it’s clear she’s found a special redemption of continued on next page September 2020 • Rock and Blues International 23

Zakiya Hooker continued from previous page

father and people will always call me “John Evolution is a good thing. Lee Hooker’s daughter”. I just hope that when people say Zakiya Hooker, they look RABI: Blues is a time-honored past that giant shadow and see me and not template but many people just imitate what’s just “John Lee Hooker’s daughter.” I am come before — what do you think it takes in really pleased that people have finally begun terms of originality and innovation to move to see me as an individual and a viable artist. the blues forward? It is a tough market out there, but I will keep Zakiya: It will definitely be the pressing on. younger generation that opens that portal for change. They interpret the music differently RABI: Have you had people come up from us, and they put their passion and to you and tell you that they knew your dad feeling in it. They stay true to the tradition, or saw him performing, and then make their but they also put their spin on it. I love what own comments and. comparisons? some of the young folks are doing. Some Zakiya: Yes. People do it all the time. have chosen to stay very traditional, and I think it is just a way to break the ice when some have combined the old, the new and the they meet me, and they are also proud of the future to create a beautiful fusion of the blues fact that they met him and the impact he had on their lives. I make it a point to always RABI: Can you tell us what inspired take time to listen and thank them for sharing. some of these songs on the new album? Zakiya: Some of them came from RABI: What have you done in terms personal experience, some came from of developing your own style? watching what some of my friends were Zakiya: By writing my own songs the going through, some came from my childway I feel them and hear them, I hope that I hood watching the interaction between my can convey to people my story, and the story parents and other relatives, some came as a of the people that I write about. I hope that phrase I may have heard and thought it would they will begin to associate the style I write make a good song because it related to things and sing about as Zakiya. people were going through. I never know when something will inspire me to write a RABI: What do you do to distinguish song. Life is always the best book to get a yourself, not only from your dad but from song from. other blues artists as well? Zakiya: Just be who I am. My songs RABI: Do you mostly write your own come from my experiences and the things I material? see as I travel through this life. My style of Zakiya: For the most part yes. Some music and my life itself are quite different of the songs from my earlier CD’s were cofrom my dad’s life, so just that alone written by me, Ollan and Anthony Cook distinguishes me from him. Some folks tell me my music is not quite blues, but to me it is RABI: Who are some of the contemmy blues. I am glad that it is a bit different. porary artists that you’re listening to now? Blues is evolving, and that’s good because Zakiya: I like a lot of the old school you don’t have to get stuck in the crowd and R&B, the very old traditional blues — John you can broaden what people call the blues. Lee, Howlin Wolf and the more contempo24 Rock and Blues International • September 2020 RABI: Who are your most valued influences? Zakiya: The first would be my father. He was my prime example of how to “follow your dream.” I got from him the idea that everyone is not going to like your music but you have to do you and not let others change your dream so that it becomes their dream. He never forgot his dream. He was — and is — an amazing man. Because of all the hard times that we have had — running from hard times in Detroit and the struggle when we arrived in California with nothing but the clothes we carried with us — my children have always inspired me and never let me lose faith in myself, even when I did not know where our next meal would come from. Love from my heroes has been my most valued influence.

RABI: How is the new album progression from your earlier efforts? Zakiya: The new album is completely me. It is somewhat eclectic, like me, and It has a style of music that is very diverse. It does not fit in a box. It almost covers all types of music. I have a little country, a little rock, some blues and

RABI: Anything you might have done differently? Zakiya: Yes, I would have done more semi-traditional blues songs.

RABI: What is your ultimate career goal?

Zakiya: To be able to do music until I leave this earth. Music is a total package. It heals the body, the soul, the mind and there is no better high than when you share your music with others

RABI: Are you satisfied with your progress so far? Zakiya: Yes. Just to be able to still function, be healthy and be able to fill my life with the things I love to do. My music has reached a lot of people and made them happy, stirred memories of loved ones and allowed me to meet some wonderful people from all around the world. I had to learn to stop being so hard on myself and look at how far I have come. I am blessed.

RABI: What do you consider your greatest career achievement so far? Zakiya: Learning to play guitar. I am not a prolific player. I am a chord player and minimal rhythm guitar player. They tease me and say that I have my dad’s rhythm, but that’s fine. I love being able to sit down and write a song to the music I hear, give it to my producers and let them do their magic.

RABI: Anything you’d like to add? Zakiya: To all of the young folks, and some old folks who have been doing this forever, never give up, keep on pushing and don’t let anyone tell you that you are not good enough. If you have faith in yourself and what you do, that is enough to make you a success in your eyes, and that is what really counts — how you feel about yourself.