John Lee Hooker's career began ith an association with the Rosebud Agency, which mdled Hooker's bookings from the mid-1980s, round that time, Hooker developed a friendship with rock star Carlos Santana and the fruit of that relationship was The Healer (1989).
The album, which also featured diverse guest musicians including Bonnie Raitt, George Thorogood and Robert Cray, was a huge hit and vaulted Hooker back to stardom. In 1990, he recorded the soundtrack for the film The Hot Spot, overdubbing tracks with Taj Mahal and Miles Davis, and 1991 saw the release of Mr. Lucky, another star-laden album featuring, among others, Ry Cooder, Van Morrison, Albert Collins and Keith Richards; Mr. Lucky reached Number Three in the UK album chart.
Over time Hooker toured less frequently but continued to record and rack up awards until announcing his retirement in 1995. One of the last surviving links to the classic blues era, Hooker sadly died in 2001.