WHO ARE WE?
JOHN LEE HOOKER LEGACY SPIRITS
When I turned 21, my granddad poured me my first bourbon. "You're 21 now, so you can have a drink with me," he said. I'd never had bourbon, and he poured it neat, no ice, no Coke. I threw it back like a shot and it burned all the way down. He told me to slow down, poured me another, and showed me how to sip it. That second glass is when I fell in love with bourbon.
Then he told me something I've carried ever since: "That first glass, you rushed it and you got burned. The second one, you took your time and you savored it. That's life. When you rush, you crash and burn. So slow down and enjoy it."
I couldn't stay long that night because I had somewhere to be. But after that, it became our tradition. We'd sit up late, pour a bourbon, and talk for hours about life and everything in it. I started John Lee Hooker Legacy Spirits to bring those nights back, and to share them with you, one glass at a time.
Glenn Thomas, Founder
Pictured below: John Lee Hooker with his grandson Glenn and great-grandsons Glenn III and Jordan.
Named after Hooker's 1948 debut single, "Boogie Chillen'," the first "down-home" electric blues song to reach number one on the R&B chart. Boogie Chillen' Bourbon "1948" is a 100-proof straight bourbon aged 5+ years in new charred American oak, from a mash bill of 75% corn, 15% rye and 10% malted barley. Smooth and full of flavor, in a bottle that carries his portrait.
Every bottle of Boogie Chillen’ carries his portrait, guitar at his side, framed by a quote from the man himself in hand-lettered script. It’s a label made to be kept long after the bottle is empty.
THE LEADERSHIP
GLENN THOMAS
After 20 plus years of navigating the real estate market, Glenn is transferring his skills to conquer the spirits industry. As a Realtor and Mortgage Advisor licensed in multiple states, Thomas has boned his sales skills, investment knowledge, and guidance to run a successful realty group with high-end clients.. As the Co-Founder of Boogie Chillen’ Bourbon, Glenn is proud to bring the story of his grandfather and keep the Hooker legacy alive one delicious bottle of bourbon at a time.
ZAKIYA HOOKER
As the daughter of renowned blues musician John Lee Hooker, Zakiya was privileged to see and hear some of the greats that shaped the history of blues and modern music. As the daughter of a music legend, Zakiya naturally chose to follow in her father’s footsteps in music and is now pursuing another passion of her father’s: bourbon. As the Co-Founder of Boogie Chillen’ Bourbon, Zaikya Hooker is ready to carry her father’s bourbon glass and blues torch into the new age of the whiskey world.
QUINEEN SHELTON
Quineen Shelton is Glenn's partner in life and in business. She brings 25+ years at Levi Strauss & Co. across global brand strategy, sales and marketing, supporting teams in 113 countries, plus experience at Apple. As Chief Marketing Officer, she leads all of the brand's marketing, from social media and digital to the brand ambassador program, bringing Fortune 500 expertise to help scale John Lee Hooker Legacy Spirits.