BILLY BOY ARNOLD
Born September 15th, 1935 in Chicago, WILLIAM 'BILLY BOY' ARNOLD is best known as one of
the prime architects of the Electric Chicago Blues sound of the 1950s as well as a major
influence on the British Blues revival of the '60s. He remains an active and vital Blues artist
here in the 21st century both touring and recording on a regular basis. At age 13, Billy Boy
was captivated by the music of the Original Sonny Boy, John Lee Williamson and visited Sonny
Boy at his home in Chicago for a series of informal harmonica lessons, just before Williamson s
untimely death in 1948. Billy Boy s recording debut was a 45 rpm Hello Stranger b/w I Ain t
Got No Money released in 1952 on a local Chicago label. Cool, where he got the nickname
Billy Boy . After joining forces with street musician Ellas McDaniel a.k.a. Bo Diddley they
made the move to Chess, where Billy Boy played harp on the March 1955 classic I m a Man .
Not content to be a sideman, Billy Boy signed with the VeeJay label where he recorded the
original versions of I Wish You Would and I Ain t Got You -- both later covered by Eric
Clapton and The Yardbirds. I Wish You Would was also covered by David Bowie on his 1973
LP Pin Ups . The early 1960s were a a difficult period for many Chicago Blues artists --
music gigs began to dry up in Chicago -- and Billy Boy found work driving a bus and as a
parole officer for the State of Illinois. By the early '70s Billy Boy was enjoying the Blues revival
touring Europe and the U.K. Since that time, he's recorded for Alligator Records, Stony Plain
and Electro-Fi. His latest release for Electro-Fi, 2008's Billy Boy Sings Sonny Boy is a
heartfelt tribute to his musical mentor, released 60 years after their first meeting.
Billy Boy Arnold is one of the last of the Chicago blues originals and one of the most important
and treasured exponents of American music performing today.



BILLY BRANCH
Born in Chicago in 1951, BILLY BRANCH first picked up a harmonica at the age of ten. He was
raised in Los Angeles before returning to Chicago at age 18 and immersed himself in the local
blues scene -- learning from such legendary harmonica players as: Big Walter Horton, James
Cotton, Junior Wells and Carey Bell. He eventually replaced Carey Bell in Willie Dixon's
Chicago Blues All-Stars band and worked with Willie Dixon for six years. During this time, Billy
formed the Sons Of Blues (S.O.B.s) featuring musicians who were the sons of famous blues
artists including Lurrie Bell, Freddie Dixon and Garland Whiteside. S.O.B. toured Europe and
recorded for Alligator Record's Grammy-nominated "Living Chicago Blues" sessions. Billy has
recorded and/or performed with an incredible list of Blues legends including: Muddy Waters,
Big Walter Horton, Son Seals, Lonnie Brooks, Koko Taylor, Johnny Winter, and Albert King.
He's also dedicated to passing on the blues tradition to a new generation through his Blues In
The Schools program. He is a dedicated blues educator and has taught in the Chicago school
system for over twenty years as part of the Urban Gateways Project.
Billy Branch is recognized as the heir to the Chicago Blues harmonica throne.

LURRIE BELL
Born December 13, 1958, LURRIE BELL was raised in a Chicago household naturally steeped
in the blues. All manner of blues greats would regularly drop by to rehearse with his father,
legendary harmonica master CAREY BELL: guitarists including Eddie Taylor, Eddie C.
Campbell, Jimmy Dawkins, and Eddy Clearwater (Bell s cousin); harmonica legends like Big
Walter Horton; and equally storied keyboardists including Sunnyland Slim and Muddy Waters
sideman Lovie Lee, whom Bell came to regard as his spiritual grandfather. So it was that at
an emphatically young age, Bell taught himself guitar and began playing along during
rehearsals. At 15, he formed his first band. In 1977, Bell was a founding member of the Sons
of Blues with fellow Chicago blues scions Freddie Dixon (son of Willie) and Billy Branch. Bell
also made his first appearance in the recording studio that year with his father on Carey Bell's
Delmark album Heartaches and Pains. At 20, Bell joined the band of Chicago s
acknowledged Queen of the Blues: Koko Taylor and stayed for several years, honing his chops
and learning the ropes of being a traveling musician. The firebrand Chicago blues guitarslinger
whom the Boston Phoenix declared the most talented blues guitarist of his generation , spent
much of the '80s and '90s struggling with health problems. Lurrie's 2007 critically-acclaimed
release "LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE" (2007), signaled Lurrie's triumphant return. Lurrie Bell has
contributed to over 50 albums, including numerous solo efforts, duets with father Carey, and
an extensive list of guest appearances.
Since the onset of the new millennium, Lurrie Bell is back and better than ever and has
established himself as one of the most important Chicago Blues guitarists in the history of the
music.

JOHN PRIMER
As the title of his critically acclaimed Atlantic Records CD suggests, Grammy and Handy Award
Nominee, JOHN PRIMER is truly "The Real Deal". At 8 years old, John borrowed his first guitar
and started to strum. Early inspiration came from his family steeped in spiritual, gospel, and
R&B tradition. As a young boy, John first appeared on stage at the local Baptist church, and
went on to play at house parties and fish frys in and around his hometown of Camden,
Mississippi. In the fall of 1963, At the age of 18, John migrated to Chicago. He quickly found
work in an era when modern electric blues and West and South Side sounds were first taking
shape. In 1974, he joined the house band at the world famous Theresa's Lounge on the
South Side of Chicago. Over the course of the next 5 years, John would play with such blues
originators as Sammy Lawhorn, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Smokey Smothers, Lonnie Brooks,
and a host of others sculpting the sound of Chicago Blues. In 1979, master songwriter and
bassist WILLIE DIXON persuaded him to join his band The Chicago All-Stars. Traveling
through the U.S. Mexico and Europe, John honed his skills as a rhythm guitarist, lead slide
player, and a powerful singer. MUDDY WATERS recruited John not only as his guitar player,
but also as an opening act. John stayed loyal to Muddy until his untimely death in 1983. After
Muddy's death, John signed on with the legendary Magic Slim. For the next 14 years, he
toured with Magic Slim & The Teardrops. In 1995 the veteran bluesman released his solo
debut "The Real Deal". Since that time he's released 10 albums and toured extensively. A
magnificent storyteller and songwriter his catalog of songs is endless. A master of the slide
guitar and inheritor of Muddy Water s slide style, John Primer is one of the last great Chicago
Blues traditionalists keeping the music alive today.