Carl Weathersby

Carl Weathersby (born Carlton Weathersby, 24 February 1953, Jackson, Mississippi) is a blues vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. Weathersby has worked most notably with Albert King and Billy Branch, and is now a solo artist.

Biography

Weathersby spent his early years in Meadville, Mississippi, a place he still considers home, although when he was aged eight, his family moved to East Chicago, Indiana.

Pre-musician years (1953-1979)

As a teenager, Weathersby began to learn the guitar. One day, after practicing "Cross Cut Saw" many times through, he decided to show his father. After he finished playing it, his father's friend, a man Weathersby knew as Albert, the diesel mechanic, said, "Man, that ain't the way that song goes, that ain't the way I played it." The mechanic turned out to be Albert King, the writer of the song, who then showed Weathersby how to play it. Despite Weathersby's mistake, King was impressed and would eventually sign Weathersby on to play rhythm guitar with him on tour.fact|date=April 2008

However his career as musician would start many years later. Before then, Weathersby worked many jobs ranging from steel mill worker to prison guard and police man. He also served in the U.S. Army from 1971 to 1977, during the Vietnam War.

Collaborative years (1979-1995)

It was after the Vietnam War that Weathersby would begin playing rhythm guitar with Albert King. It was only on short road trips between 1979-81, but the experience solidified Weathersby's identity as a blues musician.

He then started filling in for the guitarist of the Sons of Blues, Carlos Johnson, who Weathersby described as "a pretty shaky guy, you know. He could show up just as easy as he couldn't show up..." [ [http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/weathersby2.html Bluesmusicnow.com] ] Eventually the band hired Weathersby on as their full-time guitarist, a position he held for the next fifteen years.

olo years (1995-Present)

His position as guitarist for the Sons of Blues earned him a name among the blues fans of Chicago, it also left him feeling discontent. He was tired of working the hardest out of all the band members, but only playing "second fiddle" to Billy Branch, the leader of the band.fact|date=April 2008

Because of his growing popularity, Evidence Records was quick to produce Weathersby's first album "Don't Lay Your Blues on Me". They have since published all of his subsequent albums, up to "Come to Papa". His only live album "In the House" was recorded at the Lucerne Blues Festival in Switzerland and was joined by harp player and past bandmate Billy Branch. "In The House" was released under the Crosscut record label. Weathersby has since self produced his latest album," Hold On" and is currently working on his latest album.

Discography

olo Albums

*1996 "Don't Lay Your Blues On Me", Evidence Records
*1997 "Looking Out My Window", Evidence Records
*1998 "Restless Feeling", Evidence Records
*2000 "Come To Papa", Evidence Records
*2003 "Best Of Carl Weathersby", Evidence Records
*2004 "In The House: Live At Lucerne Vol. 5", Crosscut Records
*2005 "Hold On"

ideman/guest performer

*1985 Billy Branch & The Sons Of Blues - "Romancing The Blue Stone", Black & Blue Records
*1985 Buster Benton - "Blues At The Top", Evidence Records
*1989 Robert Covington - "Blues In The Night", Evidence Records
*1992 Billy Branch & The Sons Of Blues - "Mississippi Flashback", GBW Records
*1994 Hubert Sumlin & Billy Branch - "Chicago Blues Session, Vol. 22", Wolf Records
*1994 Carey Bell - "Deep Down", Alligator Records
*1994 George Gruntz - "Beyond Another Wall: Live In China", TCB Music
*1995 Billy Branch - "The Blues Keep Following Me Around", Verve Records
*1996 Jayne Cortez & The Firespitters - "Taking The Blues Back Home", Verve Records
*1996 Billy Branch - "Satisfy Me", Verve Records
*1999 Mississippi Heat - "Handyman", Van Der Linden Records
*2001 Rico McFarland - "Tired Of Being Alone", Evidence Records
*2002 Buster Benton - "Blues Reference: Blues And Trouble", Black & Blue Records
*2002 Mississippi Heat - "Footprints On The Ceiling", Crosscut Records
*2003 The Sons Of Blues - "Blues Reference: As The Years Go Passing By", Black & Blue Records
*2004 Trudy Lynn - "Blues Power: Trudy's Blues", Isabel Records
*2004 Charles Wilson - "If Heartaches Were Nickels", Delmark Records
*2004 Nora Jean Bruso - "Going Back To Mississippi", Severn Records
*2004 Sam Cockrell & The Groove - "I'm In The Business", Boom Boom Records
*2005 Mississippi Heat - "Glad You're Mine", Crosscut Records
*2005 Biscuit Miller - "Come Together", No Label
*2005 Little Milton - "Think Of Me", Telarc
*2008 Mississippi Heat - "Hattiesburg Blues", Delmark Records
*2005 Bernard Allison, Larry McCray, Carl Weathersby, Lucky Peterson - "Triple Fret", JSP Records

ee also

*List of blues musicians

References

External links

* [http://www.carlweathersby.org/ Carl Weathersby's Official Site]
* [http://www.jwblues.com/CarlWeathersby/CarlWeathersby.htm A biography of Carl]
* [http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/weathersby.html A very comprehensive and quote-filled biography]
* [http://www.geocities.com/carl.weathersby/ Complete discography: 40+ albums and 3 videos]