He was born in Chatom, Alabama, near Mobile, and raised by his great aunt in Moss Point, Mississippi. He began playing guitar at an early age, and was influenced by T-Bone Walker, B.B. King, and other blues musicians.
Blakely moved to Pascagoula, Mississippi, in the early 1960s, and began performing with local bands. He later formed his own band, the Montreville Blakely Blues Band, and began touring the United States and Europe.
Blakely's music is characterized by his soulful vocals and his intricate guitar work. He has released several albums, including "Gulf Coast Blues" (1996), "Blues at the End of the Line" (2000), and "Live in Europe" (2004).
Blakely has won several awards for his music, including the W.C. Handy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2001 and the Living Blues Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2010.
He was inducted into the Mississippi Blues Hall of Fame in 2013.
Blakely continued to perform and tour until his death in 2022. He was 82 years old.