Biography
Billy Gibson – harmonica, vocals
David Bowen – guitar, vocals
James Jackson – bass
Cedric Keel – drums, vocals
Billy Gibson's remarkable voice and prowess on the harmonica have long been a featured element at the Home of the Blues – Beale Street in Memphis. Now, having received the local accolade of Beale Street Entertainer of the Year in 2006 and national accolades as a Blues Music Award winner for Best Instrumentalist (Harmonica) for 2009 and Best New Blues Artist in 2006, Billy Gibson is no longer Beale Street's best-kept secret.
Clinton, Mississippi, native Billy Gibson first picked up the harmonica at a very young age. "It was cheap and I could easily make sounds with it." After high school, Gibson's desire for learning and improving as a musician took him to Clarksdale, Mississippi, where he played with blues guitarist Johnnie Billington and drummer Bobby Little in Billington's group The Midnighters. "Johnnie and Bobby taught me how to make it in this business," Gibson recalls.
Like many before him, Gibson eventually left Mississippi for Memphis. "Beale Street was my university of blues," recalls Gibson, referring to the lessons learned as a Beale Street performer. "For a young musician, all you have to do is look and listen and you can learn so much."
Gibson’s talent and commitment have not gone unrecognized. He received an endorsement from Hohner, his harmonica of choice in 1999. He has made guest appearances on national recording artists’ CDs including Deborah Coleman’s Soft Place To Fall (Blind Pig 2000) and Michael Burks’ I Smell Smoke (Alligator 2003). Around the same time, Gibson received a BA in music from the University of Memphis.
Billy is earning a growing following as one of the nation's brightest rising blues stars, and his fan base is widening daily. The Billy Gibson Band's frequent appearances at premier nightclubs and festivals across the country have earned them a devoted following.
If your event calls for the best in blues, look no further than the Billy Gibson Band.
Official Website: Billy Gibson
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