b. January 3, 1904 in Centreville, Leon County, TX, d. February 15, 1975 at University of Texas Medical Branch Hospital in Galveston County, Galveston, TX (buried at Centerville Cemetery in Centerville, Leon County, TX). An elder brother of Lightnin' Hopkins, guitarist Joe learned his trade from Blind Lemon Jefferson when they travelled together during the 20s. Joel Hopkins spent most of his life working outside of music, but in 1947 he accompanied his brother Lightin' on his famous Gold Star recording of "Short Haired Woman". He resurfaced in 1959 to record a handful of archaic Texas blues for historian and folklorist Mack McCormick. The latter part of his life was spent in ill health, and he died from a heart attack in 1975.