Old Friends Back Together Again



Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater
During the 1950s, Chicago's West Side was a breeding ground for some of the world's greatest bluesmen. Magic Sam, Otis Rush, Freddie King and others ruled the clubs. With his fierce guitar playing, soulful and emotive vocals and wild stage shows, Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater easily belongs on this list. A Chicago legend, Clearwater is an intense, flamboyant blues-rocking showman. He's equally comfortable playing the deepest, most heartfelt blues or rocking, good-time party music. DownBeat said, "Left-hander Eddy Clearwater is a forceful six-stringer...He lays down some gritty West Side shuffles and belly-grinding slow blues that highlight his raw chops, soulful vocals, and earthy, humorous lyrics."

Between his slashing left-handed guitar work, his room-filling vocals, his self-defined "rock-a-blues" style (a forceful mix of blues, rock, rockabilly, country and gospel), his boundless energy and even his signature Indian headdress, Clearwater is among the very finest practitioners of the West Side blues working today. The blues world recognized his talent by giving him the Blues Music Award for Contemporary Blues — Male Artist of the Year in 2001. His last release, 2003's 
Rock 'N' Roll City, was nominated for a Grammy Award. Now he's back with his very first Alligator CD, the aptly titled West Side Strut.


Rax Trax Studio in Chicago

Shoji Naito • Eddy Clearwater • Rick Barnes



Eddy Clearwater au festival Jazz a' Junas France

Blues Mama: Eddy you have been to France 20 times. When was your first trip?

Eddy: I went to France in 1976 with The Chicago Blues Allstars including; Odie Payne, Hubert Sumlin, Buddy Guy and so many others. We were welcomed by Didier Tricard and George Wein the promoters. That was their first promotion together with the Chicago Blues musicians. It really gave audiences a taste of what the Blues was really about.

Blues Mama: It's 37 years later. What is it like going back?

Eddy: The French audience loves the Blues. My band and I went back last summer for a festival in Junas, France. My friend Didier Tricard was our host, he brought out there. He has been bringing American music to France for a long time. It's always wonderful to be with him we have so many memories.

The first thing I always ask Didier when I see him is where can I get the best cassoulet in the city we are performing in. I love that bean stew.That's my favorite and he knows it so he takes us to a great place to share a meal.


Blues Mama: Last summer you performed in Junas. It was recorded live & filmed for a television special. Will we be seeing the concert soon?

Eddy: Yes, of course. It was an amazing five camera shoot and live recording. I am so happy with it. There were over 1,000 people there. The audience is so different than in the US. The audience sits and listens, holding on to every word, every lyric, even if they don't speak English they are fully engaged in the art form. Until the end, when I really hit them with some rhythm & hard rockin' blues at the end of the concert and the whole audience was up dancing.

Blues Mama: When will we get to hear it?

Eddy: I just finished editing in the studio, Rax Trax with Rick Barnes. We are putting the sequence together now. You will hear, Blues For Breakfast, Hypnotized, Find You A Job, They Call Me The Chief, Too Old To Get Married, Came Up The Hard Way and many more. You'll see - There are some different arrangements of songs from previous albums.

Blues Mama: How do you decide to sequence your CD/DVD?

Eddy: I try to visualize people's minds. What would they really pay attention to, the groove, the melody, the lyrics. If I start out with a slow song with a moody emotion then the next one I will give it some pep. I think you will love the way the songs are delivered on this live DVD/CD. I do!

- Merci

Thank you to my band and the production crew in France who made this possible.
• Artistes: Eddy Clearwater (guitare, chant), Tom Crivellone (guitare, chant), Shoji Naito (basse harmonica), Steve Bass (batterie) • Réalisateur : Giuseppe De Vecchi • Cadreurs : Jérémie Clement, Manuel Deiller, Benoït Dugovic, Edmond Zimmermann, Patrick Errera • Son : Pierrick Saillant • Production : Mezzo / Oléo Films / Ozango / ARTE France
------------------------//------------------------


Eddy Clearwater & Carlos Santana at
the San Francisco Blues Festival


What's next on Eddy Clearwater's Wish List?
I would love to record with Carlos Santana. He is so innovative, so original, there is such depth to his music. He plays with a lot of feeling, and is a very down-to-earth guy. I love Latin Jazz, and I'd love to do something with that feeling. Perhaps a minor blues song with Carlos.

Eddy joins Folk & Children's recording artist, Ella Jenkins
in the studio at SPACE in Evanston.
Ella played a little Blues harmonica for Eddy.




Here's A Blast From the Past!
Chicago Blues Band Allstars - Montreux Jazz Festival July, 1978
'It was a family tour with my best friends doing what you do,"
—The Chief

Promoters: George Wein & Dedier Tricard
Blues Cartel: Big Voice Odom, Odie Payne, Eddy Clearwater, Jimmy Johnson, Ulrich Mayer (photographer), Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin and Dave Meyers.

"I miss my friend, Hubert Sumlin a wonderful & kindhearted soul who brought happiness to everyone who knew him & heard him play."


'It was a family tour with my best friends doing what you do,"
—The Chief


Eddy "THE CHIEF" Clearwater
featured on WGN Television:
What Eddy Loves About Chicago



















During the 1950s, Chicago's West Side was a breeding ground for some of the world's greatest bluesmen. Magic Sam, Otis Rush, Freddie King and others ruled the clubs. With his fierce guitar playing, soulful and emotive vocals and wild stage shows, Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater easily belongs on this list. A Chicago legend, Clearwater is an intense, flamboyant blues-rocking showman. He's equally comfortable playing the deepest, most heartfelt blues or rocking, good-time party music. DownBeat said, "Left-hander Eddy Clearwater is a forceful six-stringer...He lays down some gritty West Side shuffles and belly-grinding slow blues that highlight his raw chops, soulful vocals, and earthy, humorous lyrics."
- Blues Revue

Between his slashing left-handed guitar work, his room-filling vocals, his self-defined "rock-a-blues" style (a forceful mix of blues, rock, rockabilly, country and gospel), his boundless energy and even his signature Indian headdress, Clearwater is among the very finest practitioners of the West Side blues working today. The blues world recognized his talent by giving him the Blues Music Award for Contemporary Blues - Male Artist of the Year in 2001. His last release, 2003's Rock 'N' Roll City, was nominated for a Grammy Award. Now he's back with his very first Alligator CD, the aptly titled WEST SIDE StrUT.

"Joyous rave-ups...Clearwater testifies with stunning soul fervor and a powerful guitar. One of the blues' finest songwriters"

"With his powerful left-handed guitar playing, unique hybrid of West Side blues, relentless rockabilly and high energy performances, Eddy "The Chief" is Chicago's premier blues showman."

- Chicago Tribune

"Clearwater is equally adept at Chuck Berry-style guitar as he is at deeper blues style. He's a fine singer who puts on a wild, exciting show...the sort of exuberant entertainer who can turn a concert into a party."
- New York Times

"A focused mixture of T-Bone Walker cool and distinctly Chicago riffage...uncanny grooves... satisfying, funky."
- Billboard

Booking: Piedmont Talent - Steve Hecht
(704) 399-2201 • 
email: PiedmontT@aol.com


FOR MORE INFORMATION OR INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:
Media Contact: Lynn Orman Weiss / (847) 452-6469 / 
lynnietoons@aol.com

Artist's Web site: www.EddyClearwater.com



847-452-6469