Davis was born in Drew, Mississippi, where he was raised in the heart of Mississippi Delta. Davis got the nickname Boo Boo from his father as a child; the name derives from his three uncles James, Boo-Jack and Davis.[3] Davis's passion for music started at age five when his mother took him to church and he played the harmonica and sang.[4] Blues musicians such as John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Robert Pete Williams and Robert Petway visited the family home to rehearse blues songs with Davis' father, Sylvester Davis.[5][6] When he was eighteen years old he began playing drums for the family band, Lard Can Band, because Davis did not possess a drum kit and was forced to play on a lard can. The band featured his multi-instrumental father, Sylvester Sr., his younger brother Sylvester Jr. on the guitar, and his sister Clara on vocals. The band played throughout the state of Mississippi, including a stint as the back up for B. B. King, who was unknown at the time.[1]
Davis moved north in the early 1960s[5][6] and played all around the Illinois area until his older brother brought him to St. Louis where he sang and played drums with Doc Terry.[1][3] After leaving Doc Terry's band, Davis started a band with Little Aaron who wrote the song, "East St. Louis", which later featured on Davis's album of the same name.[1] Davis and Aaron backed up several blues legends such as Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Milton and Elmore James.[1]
In 1972, Davis formed another family band called the Davis Brothers Band which played twice a week at a club in East St. Louis, Tabby's Red Room, for 18 years.[1]
In 1999, Davis appeared on Arthur Williams' album Harpin' On It.[1] In September of the same year he made his solo recording debut with Netherlands-based label Black and Tan Records.[1] He made his first tour of Europe in 2000, performing in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France and the UK.[1] While in the UK, he recorded music for a BBC radio show hosted by The Blues Band's Paul Jones.[1]
Davis's fourth album Drew, Mississippi (produced and co-written by British guitarist Ramon Goose) featured in the top 10 blues albums of 2006 according to Mojo.[6] In 2007, Davis performed live on Canadian national radio station CBC Radio One.[6]
Davis's song "I'm So Tired", was used in a television commercial for 5-Hour Energy and an episode of Sons of Anarchy.
