Blues Musician. Taught to play guitar at an early age by his mother, he honed his guitar playing skills on the streets of Memphis for anyone who cared to listen, earning tips and the occasional opportunity to play in a local bar for cash. Over the years he gained musical inspiration from the bluesmen of the day including Charley Patton, Lonnie Johnson, Howlin' Wolf and Blind Lemon Jefferson. In 1932, he and his family moved across the Mississippi River to Hughes, Arkansas, where his music career was put on hiatus for several years as he worked on local farms to help support the family. Having a chance encounter with future blues legend Robert Johnson in 1935, he began traveling with Johnson, touring throughout the Southern U.S., the Northern states, and eventually into Canada. The pair parted company in 1937, and although he and Johnson toured together only two short years, the time that he spent on the road with Johnson, and the unique knowledge he gained of the man would keep him in the public eye for the remainder of his life. He returned to play throughout the South until 1941 when he settled in Chicago, Illinois. While there he began working construction as a primary daytime occupation, but continued to play the nightly bar scene for cash and to pacify his musical drive. By this time he was a seasoned musician, and an accomplished slide guitarist and emotional vocalist. In 1946 he recorded his first album with Columbia records, but the sessions were never released to market. He tried again with the Chess label, but again the sessions were withheld from release. Another try on the J.O.B. label was considered perhaps his best work up to that date, but again the sessions failed to be released. Frustrated, and with no tangible success, he sold all his music equipment and returned to a construction occupation full time in 1958. Returning to music in the blues revival of the 1960s and 70s, he frequented the club and festival stage and was finally noticed for being the great bluesman that he was. He recorded several records during this time, and in the late 60s toured with the Chicago Blues All-Stars. However, after the sudden death of his daughter, he moved to Alabama with his wife and mother in order to raise their ten grandchildren away from the influences of urban Chicago. He suffered a stroke in 1980 that affected his hands and his playing, yet he continued to be a formidable performer. Also that year he recorded the album "Hangin' On" with Robert Jr. Lockwood, the stepson of Robert Johnson. The album won a W.C. Handy Award (later Blues Music Award) for 'Best Traditional Blues Record', and received a Grammy nomination for 'Best Blues Album'. His final album, "Back To The Country" was released in 1991 and featured collaborations with Snooky Prior and Johnny Nicholas. The album won the 1992 Handy Award for 'Best Country Blues Album'. He also won the Handy Award that year for 'Country Blues Artist of the Year'. Due to failing health from atherosclerosis and hypertension, Mr. Shines passed away in April 1992. He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame later that year. His music and style still influences blues performers and fans today.