LIL' ED WILLIAMS
& THE BLUES IMPERIALS
blues
- Chicago USA
The
Band
Lil' Ed Williams: voice & guitar
Mike Garrett: guitar
James "Pookie" Young: bass
Kelly Littleton: drums
From
smoking slide guitar runs to raw-boned Chicago shuffles to the deepest
blues the five-foot-one-inch Lil’ Ed and his blistering, road-tested
band, the Blues Imperials, get wild and crazy every time they hit the
stage. Between their wonderfully raucous music and Ed’s flying leaps,
his duck-walking through the audience and his sliding across the stage
on his knees, it’s no wonder The Boston Globe called Lil’ Ed
& The Blues Imperials “the world’s #1 house rocking band.”
And his rags to riches story takes him from working in a car wash to entertaining
thousands of fans all over the world. Lil’ Ed Williams, although
small in stature, is a true giant of the blues.
On their new Alligator release, Get Wild!, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials get wild and then some, with all the band’s legendary live energy captured on disc! Lil’ Ed’s raw, husky vocals and romping sizzling guitar playing, his half-brother, James “Pookie” Young’s snapping bass, Mike Garrett’s feral guitar workouts and Kelly Littleton’s foot pounding drumming create a blues firestorm steeped in tradition.
Born on Chicago’s West Side, Ed Williams grew up surrounded by the blues. He first played guitar, then drums and bass, when he was 12 years old. ed boasts a direct bloodline to the blues-he, along with his brother Pookie, received lessons and support from their famous blues playing uncle, J.B. Hutto. “J.B. taught me everything I know,” says Ed. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.” Ed and Pookie spent their teen years making music together and in 1975 formed the first incarnation of the Blues Imperials. They played their first gig at a West Side club called Big Duke’s Blue Flame, splitting the $6.00 take four ways. Over the next few years the group played every club on the West Side, but they still needed day jobs to pay the bills> Ed worked ten hours a day at the Red Carpet Car Wash. Pookie drove a school bus. Night after night they played their roaring brand of blues in tiny clubs, and eventually caught the attention of Alligator Records.
Ed was invited to cut a couple of songs for a new Alligator compilations being recorded. The band never having been in a recording studio before, set up to play live. After recording just two songs, the band had the Alligator staffers in the control room on their feet cheering and begging for more! After two more songs, complete with Ed’s signature duck walking and back bends, the band was offered a full album contract on the spot! The end result of this session was thirty songs in three hours with no overdubs and no second takes. Twelve of those songs became the band’s debut album Rough Housin’ released in 1986.
On their new Alligator release, Get Wild!, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials get wild and then some, with all the band’s legendary live energy captured on disc! Lil’ Ed’s raw, husky vocals and romping sizzling guitar playing, his half-brother, James “Pookie” Young’s snapping bass, Mike Garrett’s feral guitar workouts and Kelly Littleton’s foot pounding drumming create a blues firestorm steeped in tradition.
Born on Chicago’s West Side, Ed Williams grew up surrounded by the blues. He first played guitar, then drums and bass, when he was 12 years old. ed boasts a direct bloodline to the blues-he, along with his brother Pookie, received lessons and support from their famous blues playing uncle, J.B. Hutto. “J.B. taught me everything I know,” says Ed. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.” Ed and Pookie spent their teen years making music together and in 1975 formed the first incarnation of the Blues Imperials. They played their first gig at a West Side club called Big Duke’s Blue Flame, splitting the $6.00 take four ways. Over the next few years the group played every club on the West Side, but they still needed day jobs to pay the bills> Ed worked ten hours a day at the Red Carpet Car Wash. Pookie drove a school bus. Night after night they played their roaring brand of blues in tiny clubs, and eventually caught the attention of Alligator Records.
Ed was invited to cut a couple of songs for a new Alligator compilations being recorded. The band never having been in a recording studio before, set up to play live. After recording just two songs, the band had the Alligator staffers in the control room on their feet cheering and begging for more! After two more songs, complete with Ed’s signature duck walking and back bends, the band was offered a full album contract on the spot! The end result of this session was thirty songs in three hours with no overdubs and no second takes. Twelve of those songs became the band’s debut album Rough Housin’ released in 1986.
The
national press reacted with overwhelming amazement and the band quickly
went from playing West Side bars to clubs, concert stages and festivals
coast to coast Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials’ next two releases
Chicken, Gravy & Biscuits and What You See Is What You Get brought
them to more people than ever before. They toured Australia and Europe,
then joined the Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Tour teaming up with
the blues greats Koko Taylor, Elvin Bishop, Lonnie Brooks and Katie Webster.
The stress of touring and recording began to take its toll. Ed broke up the band and concentrated on putting his life together, with the support and dedications of his wife, Pamela. To the delight of blues fans everywhere, Lil’ Ed reformed the Blues Imperials in 1998 and proved they were still the world’s #1 house rockin’ band with their raucous performance at 1999’s Chicago Blues Festival.
With the momentum from Ed’s wild shows, the new album and an intense touring schedule, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials are wild and getting wilder, blazing a path from the Red Carpet Car Wash to the hearts and souls of blues fans all over the world.
The stress of touring and recording began to take its toll. Ed broke up the band and concentrated on putting his life together, with the support and dedications of his wife, Pamela. To the delight of blues fans everywhere, Lil’ Ed reformed the Blues Imperials in 1998 and proved they were still the world’s #1 house rockin’ band with their raucous performance at 1999’s Chicago Blues Festival.
With the momentum from Ed’s wild shows, the new album and an intense touring schedule, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials are wild and getting wilder, blazing a path from the Red Carpet Car Wash to the hearts and souls of blues fans all over the world.
New
CD: "Heads Up!"
Next italian tour: 11-19 Novemder 2005
Exclusive
Tour Management
Ascoli
Piceno Italy