Hits such as “Crawlin' King Snake
” (1949), and “I'm in the Mood
” (1951) quickly followed, and his recording success led to tours across the U.S. Hooker disliked recording contracts and preferred to receive payment upfront. He also recorded prolifically under many pseudonyms for a variety of labels. It is estimated that between 1949 and 1953, he cut 70 singles on 24 labels, under names such as Texas Slim, Delta John, The Boogie Man, and John...