Blues Musician. Born Robert Lee Burnside, in Harmontown Mississippi, he began playing music at age 16, first on the harmonica but soon switched to the guitar. He lived in Chicago and Memphis before settling in Mississippi in 1959, opened a small bar where he played his music and his first recordings came in 1967, on the Arhoolie label. In 1971, he toured Europe, recorded albums for Swingmaster, Arion, and Vogue, which were European-based labels. He continued to tour through the 80's and in 1991, he appeared in the documentary "Deep Blues" produced by British rock star Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. His raw, edgy blues sound brought him fame when he released his debut album, "Too Bad Jim" on Fat Possum records in 1992. His blues-electronica continued on the albums, "Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down", "A Ass Pocket of Whiskey" a 1996, collaboration with rocker Jon Spencer and "Come On In" 1998. One of his songs, "It's Bad You Know", was included in the HBO series "The Sopranos" and on the show's soundtrack album that sold over 400,000 copies. In 2001, LA Times music critic Robert Hilburn wrote, "He is the last genuine performer of raw Mississippi hill country sound as well as the most cutting-edge crossover artist the blues has had in the past 30 years".
Blues Musician. Born Robert Lee Burnside, in Harmontown Mississippi, he began playing music at age 16, first on the harmonica but soon switched to the guitar. He lived in Chicago and Memphis before settling in Mississippi in 1959, opened a small bar where he played his music and his first recordings came in 1967, on the Arhoolie label. In 1971, he toured Europe, recorded albums for Swingmaster, Arion, and Vogue, which were European-based labels. He continued to tour through the 80's and in 1991, he appeared in the documentary "Deep Blues" produced by British rock star Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. His raw, edgy blues sound brought him fame when he released his debut album, "Too Bad Jim" on Fat Possum records in 1992. His blues-electronica continued on the albums, "Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down", "A Ass Pocket of Whiskey" a 1996, collaboration with rocker Jon Spencer and "Come On In" 1998. One of his songs, "It's Bad You Know", was included in the HBO series "The Sopranos" and on the show's soundtrack album that sold over 400,000 copies. In 2001, LA Times music critic Robert Hilburn wrote, "He is the last genuine performer of raw Mississippi hill country sound as well as the most cutting-edge crossover artist the blues has had in the past 30 years".
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
Family Members
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