John Henry Barbee (November 14, 1905 ? November 3, 1964) was an American blues singer and guitarist. He was born William George Tucker, and changed his name with the commencement of his recording career to reflect his favourite folk song, "The Ballad of John Henry". Biography John Henry Barbee toured in the 1930s throughout the American South singing and playing slide guitar. He teamed up with Big Joe Williams, and later on, with Sunnyland Slim in Memphis, Tennessee. Travelling down to Mississippi he also came across Sonny Boy Williamson I, and played with him off and on for several years. He released two sides on the Vocalion label in 1939 ("Six Weeks Old Blues" / "God Knows I Can't Help It"). The record sold well enough to cause Vocalion to call on Barbee again, but by that time he had left his last known whereabouts in Arkansas. Barbee explained that this sudden move was due to his evading the law for shooting and killi