LIGHTNIN’ GUY Winner Belgian Blues Challenge 2011 HIGH INTENSITY ROOTS Slide Guitar & Harmonica Active member of the Media Kit ENGLISH - 2012 2 LIGHTNIN’ GUY IN 2012 It sounds like a dusty cliché but Lightnin 'Guy is "the hardest working performer" of the Belgian blues & roots scene. Since last year he also regularly played concerts at several European venues and toured in France, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Spain and Slovakia. His last album "The Banana Peel Sessions" was in 2011 the best selling Blues album of Belgium. EUROPEAN BLUES CHALLENGE BERLIN (DE) In October 2011 Lightnin' Guy won the Belgian Blues Challenge with 41% of the votes and represented Belgium at the European Blues Challenge ‘12 in Berlin. Because of his growing popularity these concerts were incorporated in a bigger tour through Germany. DIXIEFROG RECORDS (FR) At end of 2011 Lightnin' Guy signed with the prestigious French record company Dixiefrog Records. He is one a of the few Belgian blues artist who were offered the chance to record for this label. Lightnin’ Guy now is part of the same record label as Sonny Landreth, Eric Bibb, Duke Robillard, Joe Louis Walker, Poppa Chubby, Magic Slim, Kenny Neal, ... NEW CD/DVD: LIGHTNIN’ GUY PLAYS HOUND DOG TAYLOR On August 6, 2011 Lightnin' Guy recorded his new live CD/DVD "Lightnin' Guy Plays Hound Dog Taylor" in the Borderline Diest (BE). By playing the music of Hound Dog Taylor in the same setting and style; Lightnin' Guy honors with this album his slide guitar hero and inspiration. This album and videos are the perfect alternative to experience the magic and energy of a Hound Dog Taylor concert. Dixiefrog Records released the CD/DVD in February 2012 in collaboration with Parsifal Records. PLANS 2012 • Blues in Schools: is an educational music program for schools about the history of the blues. • European Tour Lightnin 'Guy & the Mighty Gators: After intensive touring in Belgium, the band will mainly focus to play shows in Europe. • Tour with Lightnin' Guy Plays Hound Dog Taylor: The CD/DVD release of Lightnin' Guy Plays Hound Dog Taylor is accompanied by an intensive • Solo CD "Blood For Kali": The release of his solo CD is scheduled for September 2012 and will be followed by a European solo tour in October. • Recording the first Studio CD: In the autumn of 2012 Lightnin 'Guy will record his first long awaited studio album, which will appear early 2013. • Blues Jam Sessions: To give young musicians opportunities to play and socialize with experienced musicians, Lightnin’ Guy organizes in his hometown Ghent every 1st Wednesday of the month an electric blues jam and every 3rd Wednesday of the month an acoustic blues jam. In this media kit you will find all necessary information about Lightnin' Guy. Nico A. Mertens Parsifal Records THE BLUES IS A VITAL ORGAN! 2 3 PROJECTS LIGHTNIN’ GUY & THE MIGHTY GATORS Lightnin’ Guy & the Mighty Gators are currently Belgian’s blues pride and deliver show after show a high energy genuine foot stompin’ blues & roots music experience. By playing in the ‘Louisiana swamp & Chicago slide & harp’-tradition, the band always succeeds in making everybody dance and sing along to their tight, groovy, honest riffs & licks. Lightnin' Guy is not only an excellent musician & singer, but also an all-round entertainer. It does not matter for whom he plays nor where he plays with his Mighty Gators, people always start shaking their asses and having a mighty good time. Laissez le Bon Ton Roulet!!! After countless shows in Belgium & Holland, the band started to knock on Europe’s blues door. in March ‘12 the band represented Belgium at the European Blues Challenge in Berlin (DE). Line Up • Lightnin’ Guy Verlinde: vocals, slide guitar & harmonica • Willy Devleeschouwer: guitar (Louisiana Red, Kenny Neal, Joe Louis Walker, Ana Popovic, Zora Young, ...) • Karl Zosel: bass (K’s Choice, Boogie Boy, Raymond van het Groenewoud, …) • Thierry Stievenart: drums (Maxwell Street Blues Band, Bill Roseman, Phil Clayton, …) • On request Patrick Cuyvers: hammond (Lurrie Bell, Sister Monica, Dallas Hodge, Phil Guy, James Harman, …) LIGHTNIN’ GUY PLAYS HOUND DOG TAYLOR “Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers” were all about rhythm and groove. Taylor’s slide guitar style was raw and wild. The choice for Brewer Phillips on rhythm guitar (instead of a bass player) & Ted Harvey on drums, resulted in the deepest and roughest house rockin’ blues in Chicago. From the late '50s through the mid '70s they probably played more gigs than any other band in town; always playing till late at night, making people party & forget their troubles. Lightnin’ Guy pays tribute to Hound Dog Taylor by playing his music in the same setting as he did. Songs as: Take Five, Hawaiian Boogie, It’s Alright, Give me Back My Wig, Let’s Get Funky, Sadie … all are on the playlist. If you never got the chance to see “the Dog” live; this is a perfect alternative to recapture the magic of a Hound Dog Taylor concert. Line Up • Lightnin’ Guy Verlinde: vocals & slide guitar • Bart “Brewer Jr.” Mulders: rhythm guitar (Gene Taylor, James Harman, Keith Dunn, …) • Erik “King Berik” Heirman: drums (Studebaker John, Super Chikan, …) 3 4 LIGHTNIN’ GUY SOLO It all started with an acoustic guitar & a harp. And though Lightnin’ Guy never picked cotton in the fields, but he surely had his share of bad luck and trouble, happiness and hope. You can hear these feelings and thoughts in his contemporary acoustic blues songs, with deep roots ranging from Flanders’ clay, over the Mississippi Delta to the swamps of Louisiana. Lightnin’ Guy not only writes in the style of the old Delta Masters, but also is strongly influenced by contemporary songwriters as Chris Whitley, Ben Harper, Xavier Rudd & John Butler. Of course he also honors during his solo shows the huge blues legacy by digging up some old songs people forgot about or which never hit the charts. During his acoustic shows Lightnin’ Guy takes his audience back to the roots of his musical career and plays a variety of resonator guitars, a weissenborn guitar, diatonic & chromatic harps and an old suitcase as a bass drum. An acoustic show is ideal for a small pub or to give an extra touch to a brunch, dinner or reception. BLUES IN SCHOOLS Blues is generally regarded as the cradle of modern pop and rock music. Born from the Working Songs of the African-American slaves in the cotton fields of Mississippi, and considered as the "Devil's" party music of the Chicago blues clubs; this musical style formed the basis of the soul, funk, disco and rock & roll music. The Blues was the inspiration of many pop and rock musicians from the past like Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, James Brown, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, ... but also contemporary stars like Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Eric Clapton, The White Stripes, Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, ... The "Blues in Schools" project is an educational musical program where Lightnin 'Guy gives young people an overview of the different styles (Delta Blues, Chicago Blues, ...), the most influential musicians (Muddy Waters, BB King, ...), the most important instruments (guitar, harmonica, ...) and highlights the socio-cultural background with stories and anecdotes. Each story is illustrated by live played musical examples. The Blues gave Lightnin 'Guy so much in his life. Now it is time to give something back, by teaching young people about the blues. Hopefully like that he can pass on his passion for the blues to a new generation. 4 5 HIGHLIGHTS 2011 • Shows @ Reigen Vienna (AT), Sang A klang Luxembourg (LUX), Laboratorium Stuttgart (DE), Chorus Blues Douzy (FR), M.O.B. Bratislava (SK), Labadoux Festival Ingelmunster (BE), Blues on the River Rotterdam (NL), Jazz Festival Breda (NL), Fonnefeesten Lokeren (BE), Jazz & Blues festival Gouvy (BE), Wespelaar Swingt Wespelaar (BE), Banana Peel Ruiselede (BE), Culemborg Blues Culemborg (NL), • Shared the stage with: Sherman Robertson (US), Canned Heat (US), Memo Gonzales (DE), Ian Siegal (UK), Johnny Mastro & Mama’s Boys (US), John Primer (US), Hook Herrera (US), Hendrik Freischlader (DE), … • Toured with Studebaker John (US), Guy Forsyth (US) & Aminata Seydi (S) • Played in Holland, Germany, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Slowakia & Austria • 15/12: Record deal with French label Dixiefrog Records • 06/11: Endorsement deal with Eastwood Guitars • 17/10: First “Blues in Schools” show in La Louvière (BE) • 16/10: Winner of the Belgian Blues Challenge with 41% of the votes • 06/08: Recording CD/DVD “Lightnin’ Guy Plays Hound Dog Taylor” at the Borderline - Diest (BE) 2010 • Played @ Bluesfestival Kwadendamme (NL), Swing 2010 Wespelaar (BE), Nuit du Blues Charleroi (BE), Blues at the Attic Herent (BE), Blues in Schoten (BE), Oetslovenblues (BE), Gentse Feesten Gent (BE), Bluescruise Dordrecht (NL), Tramblues Mortsel (BE), Jazz by Duurstede (NL), Fiesta City Verviers (BE), Bluesfestival Acosse (BE), … • Shared the stage with: Canned Heat (US), Eddie C. Campbell (US), Sherman Robertson (US), Joe Louis Walker (US), The Fabulous Thunderbirds (US), Enrico Crivellaro (IT), Carvin Jones (US), Chris Jagger (UK), Dr. Feelgood (UK), The NightHawks (US), R.J. Mischo (US), … • Played in Holland, Luxembourg & Austria • 30-31/08: Recording Live CD: Banana Peel feat. Guy Forsyth • 11/04: First acoustic show @ The Lane Oostburg (NL) • 01/04: 8 page interview in Belgian Magazine Back to the Roots 2009 • Played @ Blues Peer Festival (BE), Gouvy Jazz-Blues Festival (BE), Bluesplein ‘09 Eindhoven (NL), Goorblues Gooreind (BE), Borderline Diest (BE), Blues Conncection