For the ice hockey player see Joe Turner Big Joe Turner (born Joseph Vernon Turner Jr., May 18, 1911 – November 24, 1985)[LINK: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877413/] [1] was an American blues shouter from Kansas City, Missouri. Career Although he came to his greatest fame in the 1950s with his pioneering rock and roll recordings, particularly "Shake, Rattle and Roll", Turner's career as a performer stretched from the 1920s into the 1980s. Known variously as The Boss of the Blues, and Big Joe Turner (due to his 6'2", 250+ lbs stature), Turner was born in Kansas City and first discovered his love of music through involvement in the church. Turner's father was killed in a train accident when Joe was only four years old.[LINK: http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artist/zq8c/] "Big Joe Turner" at BBC webs