Alan Haynes - a killer guitarist and a soulful singer,
deeply dedicated to the Blues...and also he just happens
to be a nice guy.
Alan Haynes has performed with such Blues Greats as Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds (with Jimmie Vaughan), Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker, Otis Rush, Hubert Sumlin, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, Bugs Henderson, Gregg Martin, Joe Walsh, Leroy Parnell, Willie Nelson, John Mayall, James Cotton, Denny Freeman, Austins Sexton brothers (Will & Charlie), Derek OBrien, Doyle Bramhall ll, and the great Johnny Winter, who he claims as a major inspiration. This influence can be heard especially in Alan's passionate and throaty singing style. Hes opened for the Talking Heads, Muddy Waters, and Buddy Guy and has toured with Albert King & Bobby Blue Bland to name a few. For six years in the 1990s Alan was the house band at the legendary Antones Blues Club in Austin, TX.
Born February 19th 1956 in Houston, Texas, he started playing guitar at the age of 8 and soon discovered the Blues when he was about 12 or 13. At that time Alan never thought about making a living playing guitar. While listening a lot to B.B. King, Albert Collins and Freddie King on the radio, he always thought he'd become an artist. And his artistic talents were not lost because in 1996 he did the graphics for his album "Wishing Well" on his own.
It was in the early 70's - Alan was about 16 - when he was standing at the crossroads and had to choose his way. He made up his mind and hit the road of Blues ... and he "knew that there was no turning back."
Alan's first professional effort started in the late 70's when he joined the "Texas Boogie Band" and soon became the front man and leader of the band. The bass was played by none other than former Johnny Winter's sideman Tommy Shannon, who later reached fame as part of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Double Trouble". The "Texas Boogie Band" got lot of radio play and became the house band at the Texas Opry House.
After moving to Austin in the early 80's, Alan formed his band "Alan Haynes and the Stepchildren" and recorded his first EP, "Seventh Son". With him on board was the legendary Uncle John Turner, who, like Tommy Shannon, had also been playing with Johnny Winter for years. Another legend can be heard on "Seventh Son": Bobby Blue Bland's guitarist Wayne Bennett, with whom Alan became good friends. So Alan went on to perform some shows together with Wayne Bennett and Bobby Bland.
Alan was inducted into the Buddy Magazine Texas Tornado List (The Greatest Players in Texas. Perhaps The World.) in 1980.
In 1985, at the "Music City Austin - Music Poll" Alan was voted "Best Blues Band".
In 1995, Alan released his second album, "Wishing Well", with help from "Double Trouble", Reese Wynans, Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton along with old "Thunderbirds" Preston Hubbard and George Rains. This album received great reviews in many magazines all over the world and led to a featured article in the "Guitar Player Magazine", "Alan Haynes - New angles on classic Blues". (August '95)
In the book, Guitar Legends (1995) Robert Cray is quoted as saying his "more recent influences include blues guitarists Charlie Baty of Little Charlie & The Nightcats, Jimmie Vaughan, Ronnie Earl, and Texas-guitarist Alan Haynes.
Alan has graced the covers of such magazines as Southwest Blues (January '99) and Buddy Magazine (April '00). He has received rave reviews for his 2002 CD release on Red Guitar Records, "Live at The Big Easy" by Dan Forte in the October 2002 issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine.
When you have a chance to see Alan playing.... Don't miss him!!!
Christian Groebel
