Sonny Boy Nelson (December 23, 1908 – November 4, 1998)[1] was an American Delta blues musician.
He was born Eugene Powell, in Utica, Mississippi, United States,[2] the child of an interracial affair.
He and his half-brother Ben (playing mandolin) performed as a novelty act at picnics and suppers and for prisoners at the Mississippi State Penitentiary.
In 1915, his half-brother Bennie "Sugar" Wilson may have been the inspiration for Nelson to learn to play the mandolin-banjo.
[4] Nelson played many instruments, including banjo, guitar, harmonica, horn, mandolin and violin.