Booker T. Laury
American boogie-woogie, blues, gospel and jazz pianist and singer
About Booker T. Laury
Lived 1914 – 1995 (aged 81). Booker T. Laury was an American singer, jazz musician and pianist.
Biography Laury was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up with his lifelong friend Memphis Slim.
The 1989 Dennis Quaid film Great Balls of Fire! portrayed the young Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy Swaggart looking into a juke joint to see Laury playing "Big Legged Woman." The attention helped boost Laury's popularity.
In 1994, Bullseye Blues Records issued Nothin' but the Blues, an album of Laury's voice and piano, performing seven original compositions, two covers, and a story about how he got the nickname "Slop Jar" from his peers. The same year, the Austrian label Wolf Records released a live album, containing concert recordings made in 1987.
Laury died of cancer in September 1995, at the age of 81, in Memphis.
Discography
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Important facts
People in Booker T. Laury's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Booker T. Laury?
American boogie-woogie, blues, gospel and jazz pianist and singer
When was Booker T. Laury born?
Booker T. Laury was born on 2 September 1914 in Memphis.
When did Booker T. Laury die?
Booker T. Laury died on 23 September 1995 in Memphis, Tennessee, Tennessee.
What was Booker T. Laury's occupation?
Booker T. Laury was a singer, jazz musician and pianist.
What nationality was Booker T. Laury?
Booker T. Laury was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Booker T. Laury. https://biography.guide/booker-t-laury/
MLA: "Booker T. Laury." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/booker-t-laury/.
Chicago: "Booker T. Laury." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/booker-t-laury/.
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