Ealey was born in
Texarkana, Texas. In his teens he sang in a quartet in his church. Following service in the
Army in
World War II, Ealey moved to
Dallas in 1951, having been singing professionally from the age of 20. In
Fort Worth, he formed a
duo, the Boogie Chillun Boys, with the guitarist U. P. Wilson. By the 1990s, Ealey and the guitarist Tone Sommer started touring more widely, and their authentic Texas blues found a wider audience in the United States and Europe. Television advertisement work also expanded the recognition of Ealey's music. His 1996 album,
Turn Out the Lights, issued by
Black Top Records, saw Ealey work with blues accompanists including Mike Morgan and Sommer on guitar. The 1997 follow-up,
I Like Music When I Party, was similarly successful. ==Selected album discography==