Product Description
A potent dose of contemporary blues, almost crushing in its intensity. Burks wields his axe like a man possessed, breathing fire into chilling blues and hard-charging rockers with a fearsome guitar attack and deep, soul-packed vocals. "A fierce guitar slinger and exciting, soulful singer...phenomenal power." -- CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
Review
...he blasts through licks like Clapton used to play - think lightning - just because he can. He is a great guitarist. -- Vintage Guitar
Burks delivers blazing, explosive solos and outrageous tone...part rock, part soul and filled with plenty of blues sensibility -- Blues Revue
Michael Burks is a guitar slinger with a brawny tone, deeply emotional singing and rompin', stompin' blues power. -- GuitarOne
About the Artist
Born in Milwaukee in 1957, Michael entered the world with blues in his blood. Joe Burks, Michael's grandfather, played acoustic Delta blues guitar in his hometown of Camden, Arkansas. Michael's father, Frederick, 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.
Michael first held a guitar when he was two years old. By the age of five, he was diligently studying his father's 45s. And Michael kept practicing, and by the time he was six, he played his first gig during a trip to his family's hometown in Arkansas. The fledgling guitarist took the stage with his cousin's band and thrilled an unsuspecting audience.
In the early 1970s, Frederick Burks moved his family back to their southern home. There, Michael and his siblings helped their father build the Bradley Ferry Country Club - a 300-seat juke joint. By this time Michael was fronting his own band as well as backing several of the blues and R&B greats that passed through town. Johnnie Taylor and O.V. Wright were just two of the luminaries to call on Michael's services. Business at the Bradley Ferry thrived for years, with Michael Burks leading the house band every Thursday through Saturday.
When the Bradley Ferry finally closed in the mid-1980s, Michael needed to find a day job. For over a decade he worked as a mechanical technician for Lockheed-Martin; at one point during his stint with the advanced technology corporation he even built missile components. But Michael's desire to perform remained strong, and in 1994 he formed a new band and began playing clubs and regional festivals. Despite his not having a record, the diesel-powered energy of Michael's performances began to earn him festival offers from Florida to California. Fortunately, Michael's boss was a blues lover. He recognized Michael's ability and encouraged it, giving Burks the flexibility of long weekends in order to tour. On more than a few occasions, Lockheed even entertained its clients by flying them to Michael's festival appearances.
Michael released his self-produced debut CD, From The Inside Out, in 1997. The album confidently announced Michael's intention to take the blues world by storm. Burks joined the Alligator family in 2001 and released the critically acclaimed Make It Rain. The Chicago Sun-Times called the album "chilling and heartfelt." Billboard agreed, declaring, "Burks is a powerhouse blues guitar slinger...he blasts through licks like Clapton used to play-think lightning-just because he can. He is a great guitarist." Vintage Guitar said, "Gospel-ringed, sweet and nasty. Burks will warm your heart at the same time he puts a chill down your back."
His next album, I Smell Smoke, featured songs fueled by Burks' feral guitar playing and tough, soulful vocals. As raw and passionate as ever, Burks played with the precision and dedication of the seasoned veteran that he is. Living Blues said, "Burks' fretwork is skin-tight yet emotionally expressive. His voice is dusky and sensual yet shot through with virility. Burks burns his signature onto almost everything he touches with aching passion and the probing intensity of his guitar. He has the ability and the imagination to fuse the best of the old and the new." Burks received three Blues Music Award nominations for his work on the CD, including Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year and Blues Song Of The Year for the title track.
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Language : English
- Product Dimensions : 5.55 x 4.92 x 0.47 inches; 3.25 ounces
- Manufacturer : Alligator Records
- Original Release Date : 2008
- Date First Available : March 28, 2023
- Label : Alligator Records
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
