2. März 2026
ZUM TOD DES US-AMERIKANISCHEN BLUES-SÄNGERS UND -GITARRISTEN JOHN P. HAMMOND
Der am 13. November 1942 in New York City geborene US-amerikanische Blues-Sänger und -Gitarrist John Paul Hammond (Bild) ist am 28. Februar 2026 gestorben. Hammond gehörte seit dem Beginn der 1960er-Jahre zu den herausragenden Figuren des akustischen Blues. Er entdeckte für sich die Nische des Gitarrespielers mit Mundharmonika, der klassischen Blues aus den 1930er- bis 1950er-Jahren spielte. Aufnahmen aus den 1990er-Jahren beweisen aber auch die Fähigkeiten Hammonds als Bandleader und E-Gitarrist. Seit seinem Debütalbum, herausgegeben 1963 auf Vanguard Records, nahm John P. Hammond insgesamt 33 Langspielplatten auf. Hammond erhielt 1985 einen Grammy Award und war für vier weitere nominiert. Zuletzt erschien das Album «Rough & Tough». Hammond spielte oder nahm Platten auf mit Jimi Hendrix (der entdeckt wurde, während er in Hammonds Band spielte), Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Duane Allman, Michael Bloomfield, J. J. Cale, Tom Waits, The Band, Charlie Musselwhite, Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, David Bromberg, John Lee Hooker, Dr. John, Bob Dylan und vielen anderen. Als Produzent war er u.a. für George Benson, Alberta Hunter, Adam Makowicz, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob Dylan (Bootleg Series 1–3), Michael Bloomfield und Bruce Springsteen tätig. (*)
Bild: John P. Hammond, 1980er-Jahre – Foto: Louis Ramirez, https://flickr.com/photos/91447/139791623/ – Lizenz: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en – Datei: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Hammond_JR.jpg
John Hammond, Blues Singer-Guitarist, Dies at 83
The son of the famed Columbia Records producer and talent scout also named John, the younger Hammond took to the guitar in high school and began performing traditional-style acoustic blues. He turned professional after dropping out of Antioch College in Ohio and signed with Vanguard Records in 1963; his debut album consisted largely of interpretations of material written by such blues artists as Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Robert Johnson, as well as Chuck Berry’s “Maybellene.” During his lengthy career, Hammond, who also played harmonica, released more than 30 albums, most remaining true to his favored blues styles. One album, however, 2001’s Wicked Grin, consisted almost entirely of covers of Tom Waits songs.
Jeff Tamarkin
https://bestclassicbands.com/john-hammond-blues-singer-guitarist-obituary-3-1-26/
John Hammond Blues Guitar Pioneer Dies Aged 83
Born John Paul Hammond in New York City on November 13, 1942, he was the son of legendary Columbia Records producer and talent scout John Henry Hammond Jr., a towering industry figure credited with championing artists including Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. Despite that formidable musical lineage, Hammond largely forged his own artistic identity, growing up primarily with his mother following his parents’ separation.
Inspired as a teenager after hearing Jimmy Reed recordings, Hammond took up guitar in high school and quickly immersed himself in the blues canon. He briefly attended Antioch College in Ohio before leaving to pursue music full-time, relocating to New York’s Greenwich Village during the early 1960s folk and blues revival.
In 1963 he signed with Vanguard Records and released his self-titled debut album, a collection deeply rooted in traditional material associated with artists such as Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Robert Johnson. The record established Hammond as a serious blues interpreter at a time when younger audiences were rediscovering American roots music.
Paul Cashmere
https://www.noise11.com/news/john-hammond-blues-guitarist-dies-83-20260302
RIP John Paul Hammond
Hammond’s performances were marked by a distinctive blend of grit and elegance: a resonant voice, a driving thumb‑picked guitar style, and harmonica lines that cut straight to the bone. He was one of the few white blues musicians of his generation to earn deep respect from the Black blues elders he idolized, thanks to his authenticity, humility, and lifelong dedication to the craft.
Throughout his career, Hammond collaborated with or shared stages with an astonishing array of musicians, including Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allman, Dr. John, Tom Waits, and members of The Band. His 1992 album Wicked Grin, produced by Tom Waits, remains one of his most celebrated late‑career works.
Though he never sought mainstream stardom, Hammond became a beloved figure among blues aficionados, roots musicians, and generations of guitarists who saw in him a bridge between the past and the present.
John Paul Hammond leaves behind a body of work that stands as one of the most consistent and heartfelt in modern blues. His recordings remain essential listening for anyone seeking the soul of the genre, and his influence continues to ripple through contemporary roots and Americana music.
John Hammond, Prolific Blues Guitarist and Singer, Dead at 83
In 2011, Hammond was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame. In a tribute by George Thorogood, the Destroyers member paid tribute to Hammond’s legacy. “For more than 50 years, John Hammond, Jr. was an icon, a professional role model and, most importantly, a friend,” wrote Thorogood. “While we mourn his passing, we celebrate what the man and his music meant to us, and to so many.”
Charisma Madarang
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/john-hammond-blues-guitarist-dead-obituary
John Hammond Jr, american blues figure, dies at 83
The blues world has just lost one of its most steadfast representatives. John Hammond Jr (November 13, 1942 – February 28, 2026) passed away at the age of 83, as reported by several specialized American media outlets. A guitarist, singer, and tireless interpreter of the traditional repertoire, he leaves behind more than sixty years of career. Blues Actu pays tribute to him.
Cédric Vernet
https://bluesactu.com/en/john-hammond-jr-american-blues-figure-dies-at-83/
Muere John Hammond Jr, el guitarrista que juntó a Eric Clapton y Jimi Hendrix en una banda
Hijo del legendario productor y crítico John H. Hammond, fue un personaje clave del blues neoyorquino.
Nacho Serrano
Addio al bluesman John Hammond
E‘ morto all’età di 83 anni il cantante e chitarrista blues John Hammond. La sua scomparsa è stata confermata da Paul James, collaboratore e caro amico di Hammond, che ha pubblicato su Facebook di aver ricevuto la notizia della morte di Hammond dalla moglie di quest’ultimo, Marla.
https://www.rockol.it/news-757376/morto-john-hammond-bluesman-83-anni?amp=1
John Hammond Jr, figure du blues américain, meurt à 83 ans
Né le 13 novembre 1942 à New York, John Hammond Jr est le fils du producteur John Hammond Sr, figure majeure de l’industrie musicale américaine, découvreur notamment de Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin ou Bob Dylan. Mais le fils choisit une autre voie. Là où son père façonnait des carrières, lui se tourne vers les racines.
Adolescent, il découvre Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf. Il adopte le fingerpicking, s’imprègne du phrasé du Delta et s’engage dans une démarche qui ne le quittera plus. Dès le début des années 1960, il participe activement au blues revival américain.
Il enregistre pour Vanguard puis Columbia, signant des albums comme So Many Roads, I Can Tell ou Southern Fried. Sa voix grave, son jeu précis et son approche sans artifice imposent une signature reconnaissable.
Cedric Vernet
https://bluesactu.com/john-hammond-jr-figure-du-blues-americain-meurt-a-83-ans/
«Blues ist eine ehrliche Art, die Welt zu sehen»
Seit seinem Debutalbum als 20-Jähriger anno 1962 auf Vanguard Records zählte John Hammond Jr. zu den faszinierendsten Interpreten der Blues’n’Roots-Welt. Nicht nur der reichhaltige Fundus von 100 Jahren Bluesmusik prägten seine Karriere, auch Folk, Rock, Gospel und die spannende Singer/Songwriter-Szene spielten eine nicht zu unterschätzende Rolle in seiner Arbeit. Zu Hammond’s engsten Freunden und Partnern im Studio und auf der Bühne gehörten neben Bob Dylan, John Sebastian und Tim Hardin auch Michael Bloomfield, Duane Allman oder Jimi Hendrix.
Im Laufe seiner langen Karriere veröffentlichte Hammond zudem mehr als 30 Alben, darunter eines mit Tom Waits-Songs. Er wurde (bei acht weiteren Nominationen) für das Album ‘Blues Explosion’ 1983 mit einem Grammy ausgezeichnet, erhielt über die Jahre mehrere Blues Music Awards verliehen, produzierte den Soundtrack zum Dustin Hofmann-Film «Litte Big Man», moderierte die britische TV-Dokumentation «The Search Of Robert Johnson» und wurde 2011 in die Blues Hall Of Fame aufgenommen.
Am emotionalsten und ehrlichsten jedoch agierte Hammond stets solo, nur mit akustischer Gitarre, Rack-Harmonica und seiner Stimme. Und der nackte, traditionelle Blues blieb sein Credo: «Blues transcends time! Blues ist absolut zeitlos, spricht die täglichen Sorgen und Nöte, aber auch Freuden an, die menschlichen Zustände, die Realität, die Aktualität. Blues ist eine ehrliche Art, die Welt zu sehen.» John Hammond Jr. sprach nicht durch die Musik – die Musik sprach durch ihn.
Marco Piazzalonga
https://www.bluesnews.ch/index.php/berichte/nachrufe/2712-john-hammond-jr-1942-2026
Im Jahr 1982 war John Hammond mit dem Schweizer Gitarristen und Sänger Hansjürg Schwe Schweizer auf einer gemeinsamen Schweizer Tournee unterwegs. Die Bilder zeigen das Plakat der Tournee und John Hammond bei seinem Auftritt 1982 im Deutschschweizer Fernsehen DRS (heute SRF), vgl. Hinweis unten – Fotos: © Schwe
Videos:
John Hammond im Fernsehen DRS (SRF), «Karussell» vom 01.04.1982
JOHN HAMMOND – Montreux 1982
John Lee Hooker and John Hammond Jr [1992]
John Hammond plays Tom Waits live
John Hammond – Walking Blues – LIVE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTs6DC3byWc
«Ask Me Nice» John Hammond @ City Winery, NYC 06-13-2019
John Hammond – Maybelline, 2004
JOHN HAMMOND Blues in Paris
John Hammond | Green Room Tales
John Hammond is Gettin The Blues (Delta/country blues Short Film), 2023
Mehr:
https://www.rosebudus.com/hammond/
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0001486767
https://www.discogs.com/de/artist/1223373-John-Paul-Hammond
https://www.imdb.com/de/name/nm0358710/
https://www.americanbluesscene.com/2020/03/john-hammond-the-king-of-the-resonator/
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Hammond
https://web.archive.org/web/20110719125841/http://www.bluesinlondon.com/feat_hammond.html
https://bluesfestival.ch/wall-of-fame/1996/john-hammond
https://www.wirz.de/music/hammodsc.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_P._Hammond
(*) https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_P._Hammond
Nachträge vom 03.03.2026:
In Memoriam: John Hammond Jr., 1942–2026
John P. Hammond (aka John Hammond Jr.), a blues guitarist and singer who was one of the first white American interpreters of traditional blues, died Feb. 28. He was 83. His death was announced by singer-guitarist Paul James, a longtime friend and colleague of Hammond’s, who said on Facebook that he had received the news from Hammond’s wife of 32 years, the former Marla Silver.
The son of famed record producer and talent scout John H. Hammond, the younger Hammond came to the blues not through his father’s machinations, but through the folk boom of the late 1950s and early 1960s, which he experienced firsthand by spending his days (and eventually living) in New York’s Greenwich Village. He gained a following there by playing classic blues songs in the neighborhood’s clubs and coffee shops, and in 1963, at age 20, began a 60-year recording career that would include collaborations with some of the most important and acclaimed artists of all time.
Michael J. West
https://downbeat.com/news/detail/in-memoriam-blues-artist-john-p.-hammond-19422026
Abschied von einer Blues-Ikone
Über sechs Jahrzehnte prägte John Hammond den traditionellen Blues mit rauer Stimme und virtuosem Gitarrenspiel. Nun ist der prämierte Musiker an einem Herzstillstand gestorben.
Patricia Shams
https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/john-hammond-blues-legende-mit-82-jahren-gestorben-998868368698
#JohnHammond #JohnPHammond #CHcultura @CHculturaCH ∆cultura cultura+
Kommentare von Daniel Leutenegger