Born near Como east of the Mississippi Delta in hill country, United States, Napoleon Strickland learned music as a boy from his father.
He became adept with guitar, drums, harmonica, diddley bow, fife, and all manner of percussion.
[2] He was primarily a fife player and singer, playing a great number of festivals.
He also performed on several compilation albums of North Mississippi hill country blues, as the music was recorded in the late 20th century.
[citation needed] After a car accident in the 1980s, he was committed to a nursing home but continued to play up to his death in July 2001, at the age of 81.