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Michael Burks

Photo by Scott Saltzman

Blues in His Blood

Born in Milwaukee in 1957, Michael Burks quite literally entered the world with blues in his blood. Joe Burks, Michael Burks' grandfather, played acoustic, Delta-style blues guitar in his hometown of Camden, Arkansas. A multi-talented man, Joe Burks was a barber, carpenter and aviation mechanic in addition to playing in area juke joints. Michael Burks' father, Frederick Burks, who moved to Milwaukee in 1953, was a bass player. For years, Frederick Burks worked in Milwaukee steel mills and refineries during the day and spent his evenings performing in the city's smoky, dimly-lit blues clubs, often backing harmonica legend Sonny Boy Williamson II, as well as other touring blues stars and local front men. After years of performing without a record, Michael Burks released his self-produced debut, From The Inside Out, in 1997. The album confidently announced Michael Burks' intention to take the blues world by storm. His impassioned, string-bending solos, combined with his fiery tone and smoldering vocals, left no doubt that Michael Burks was an emotionally-charged blues powerhouse. Critics and fans loved what they heard. Blues Access proclaimed From The Inside Out to be "the most impressive indie in recent memory," and Living Blues rated it as one of "the best debut discs of the year." In 2000, Michael Burks received a W.C. Handy Blues Award nomination for Best New Artist even though he was already a hard-working professional. It had become clear that Michael Burks had to pursue his musical career full-time once again. Fueled with a tank full of positive reviews, Michael Burks began to play more festivals than ever before, appearing at the Chicago Blues Festival, Telluride Blues Festival, Mississippi Valley Blues Fest, and Kalamazoo Blues Fest and making headlining appearances at the Mississippi Muddy Waters Blues Fest, Arkansas River Blues Fest, and the Blind Willie Blues Fest, among others.

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Home → Overview → Blues Artists → Michael Burks