Lonnie Brooks Blues Band - ProfilesArchive

About Me

BIOGRAPHY: Long before Lonnie Brooks was headlining major blues festivals and sharing stages with the likes of Eric Clapton, he was forging his bayou-swamp-music-meets-Chicago-blues-via-Texas style. Born Lee Baker, Jr. in Dubuisson, Louisiana on December 18, 1933, he began his career playing everything from rock 'n' roll to country & western and R&B. Originally desiring to play banjo (his grandfather was an accomplished banjo player), Lonnie instead mastered the guitar. His first professional job came when zydeco legend Clifton Chenier saw him playing guitar on his front porch and drafted him into the famous Red Hot Louisiana Band. In the mid-1950s, Brooks, now known as Guitar Junior, cut a series of Gulf Coast proto-rock 'n' roll hits for the Goldband label, now considered swamp rock classics. He hitched a ride with Sam Cooke's touring caravan and got off in Chicago in 1960. Because Chicago already had a Guitar Junior, he changed his name to Lonnie Brooks, and jumped headlong into Chicago blues. He joined Jimmy Reed's touring band, and also recorded singles for Mercury, Chess and other labels in the 1960s, before Capitol released Brooks' first album, Broke And Hungry (under the name Guitar Junior) in 1969.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Brooks performed regularly in some of Chicago's toughest clubs, playing blues, rock, and R&B. Although he was forced to perform other artist's hits, he was never without a gig. His big break came in 1978, when Brooks introduced four songs on Alligator Records' Living Chicago Blues anthology. By now he had forged his own sound -- a vibrant mix of rock 'n' roll, R&B, funky Cajun boogie, country twang, and hard Chicago blues, a style his band dubbed "voodoo blues." The success of these recordings led him to a full recording contract with the label and a series of stellar albums, each loaded with Brooks' signature guitar playing and rich, expressive vocals. And, as anyone who has seen him in concert can attest, his live shows are legendary for kick-starting parties and spreading good times like wildfire. "Sheer energy and excitement," raved the Village Voice, "Brooks brings an original brilliance to the blues."

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/12/2006
Band Website: LonnieBrooks.com
Band Members: Lonnie Brooks
Wayne Baker Brooks
Andre Howard
Rob Waters
Mike Rodbard

Influences: Lightning Hopkins
John Lee Hooker
Phillip Walker
B.B. King
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
Clifton Chenier
T-Bone Walker
Jimmy Reed
Lonesome Sundown

Sounds Like: STYLES

Blues
Modern Electric Blues
Electric Chicago Blues
Modern Electric Chicago Blues
Zydeco

MOODS

Cheerful
Happy
Rousing
Rollicking
Playful
Boisterous
Energetic
Rowdy
Gritty
Passionate
Exuberant
Earthy

INSTRUMENTS

Guitar
Vocals

ALBUMS

1999 Lone Star Shootout Alligator
1996 Roadhouse Rules Alligator
1991 Satisfaction Guaranteed Alligator
1988 Live from Chicago Alligator
1986 Wound Up Tight Alligator
1985 Live at Pepper's Black Magic
1983 Hot Shot Alligator
1981 Turn on the Night Alligator
1979 Bayou Lightning Alligator
1977 Let's Talk It Over Delmark
1975 Sweet Home Chicago Evidence
1969 Broke & Hungry Capitol
1968 Live at Pepper's 1968 Black Top
1955 The Crawl Charly

CREDITS

2007 Louisiana Swamp Boogie And Blues Various Artists Performer
Great Singers Various Artists Performer
Great Guitarists, Vol. 2 Various Artists Performer
Chicago! My Kind of Songs Various Artists Performer
Live at Carnegie Hall Jimmy Reed Guitar
2006 Essential Jimmy Thackery Jimmy Thackery Guitar, Vocals, Guest Appearance
2006 Alligator Records 35X35 Various Artists Producer
2004 You Left Me in the Dark Jody Williams Guitar, Vocals, Guest Appearance
2004 Mystery Wayne Baker Brooks Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals (bckgr), Soloist
2003 Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: Godfathers and Sons Original Soundtrack Guitar, Vocals
2003 Genuine Houserockin' Christmas Various Artists Guitar, Vocals
2002 USA Records Blues Story Various Artists Performer
2002 They Call Me the Popcorn Man Luther Snake Boy Johnson Guitar
2002 Janis Joplin: This Ain't No Tribute Series -- All Blu Various Artists Guitar, Vocals
2002 Blues & Soul Sessions Various Artists Performer
2002 Blue Lights Little Mac Simmons Guitar
2001 National Geographic: Destination Chicago Various Artists Performer
2001 Chicago Blues Festival: 1969-1986 Various Artists Guitar, Vocals
2001 Alligator Records 30th Anniversary Collection Various Artists Performer
2000 Swamp Land Boogie from the Bay Various Artists Performer
2000 Las Vegas Grind, Pt. 6 Various Artists Performer
2000 Friday Night Live Various Artists Performer
1999 This Ain't No Tribute Blues Cube Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Photography
1999 Somewhere on Down the Line Little Mack Simmons Performer
1999 PM/Simmons Collection Little Mac Simmons Guitar
1999 Essential Blues, Vol. 3 Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Performer
1999 Blues Shakers Various Artists Performer
1998 Switching Gears Jimmy Thackery & the Drivers Guitar, Vocals
1998 Spirit of Blues Various Artists Performer
1998 Golden Age of Blue Chicago Various Artists Guitar
1998 Double Crossing Blues Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Performer
1998 Chess Blues Guitar: Two Decades of Killer Fretwork, 1 Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Performer
1998 Blues Brothers 2000 Original Soundtrack Performer
1997 Livin' in the House of Blues: Roadhouse Blues Various Artists Performer
1997 House of Blues: Songs of Janis Joplin: Blues Down Dee Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Performer
1997 Deluxe Edition Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals, Producer
1997 Blues Brothers & Friends: Live from House of Blues The Blues Brothers Performer
1996 Roadhouse Rules Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals
1996 Essential Blues, Vol. 2 Various Artists Performer
1996 Celebration of Blues: The Great Singers Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Performer
1996 Celebration of Blues: The Great Singers/Chicago Blues Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Performer
1996 Celebration of Blues: The Great Guitarists, Vols. 1-2 Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Performer
1996 Celebration of Blues: Great Guitarists , Vol. 2 Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Performer
1996 Blues Guitar Greats [Delmark] Various Artists Performer
1996 Alligator Records 25th Anniversary Collection Various Artists Performer
1995 Modern Blues Anthology: Ain't Times Hard Various Artists Performer
1995 Blues Fest: Modern Blues of the '80s Various Artists Performer
1994 Evidence Blues Sampler: The Third Various Artists
1994 Catch up with the Blues Johnny Copeland Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm)
1993 Chicago Blues Festival, Vol. 3: 1974-1976 Various Artists Guitar, Vocals
1993 Blues Guitar Summit Various Artists Guitar 1993 Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Tour Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Performer
1992 Evidence Blues Sampler Various Artists Performer
1992 Alligator Records Christmas Collection Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Performer
1991 Satisfaction Guaranteed Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Vocals, Producer
1991 No Foolin'! Katie Webster Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Vocals
1991 Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection Various Artists Performer
1990 Jump for Joy Koko Taylor Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Vocals
1989 Blues Deluxe Various Artists Guitar, Arranger, Vocals, Performer
1988 Live from Chicago Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Arranger, Guitar (Electric), Vocals
1988 Genuine Houserockin' Music, Vol. 3 Various Artists Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Vocals, Performer
1987 Genuine Houserockin' Music, Vol. 2 Various Artists Guitar (Electric), Vocals, Performer
1986 Wound Up Tight Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals, Producer
1986 Genuine Houserockin' Music Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Performer
1986 Genuine Houserockin' Music, Vol. 1 Various Artists Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Vocals, Producer, Performer
1985 Live at Pepper's Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals
1983 Hot Shot Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals
1981 Turn on the Night Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Vocals, Producer, Performer
1979 Bayou Lightning Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals, Producer
1978 Living Chicago Blues, Vol. 2 Various Artists Guitar, Vocals, Performer
1977 Let's Talk It Over Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals
1976 Groove Hubert Sumlin Guitar
1975 Sweet Home Chicago Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals
1975 Queen of the Blues Koko Taylor Guitar
1975 My Guitar & Me Hubert Sumlin Guitar
1975 Lonesome in My Bedroom Luther "Georgia Boy Snake" Johnson Guitar
1969 Broke & Hungry Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals
1968 Live at Pepper's 1968 Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals
1961 Jimmy Reed At Carnegie Hall Jimmy Reed Guitar
1960 Pick Me Up on Your Way Down Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals
1955 Crawl Lonnie Brooks Guitar, Vocals

COMPILATIONS

2000 Sweet Home Chicago Night & Day
1997 Deluxe Edition Alligator
1960 Pick Me Up on Your Way Down Goldband

Record Label: Alligator Records
Type of Label: Indie

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Posted by Lonnie Brooks Blues Band on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:32:00 PST