Carl Weathersby
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Carl Weathersby (born February 24, 1953) is a blues vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter from Chicago. He has worked most notably with Albert King and Billy Branch, but is now an accomplished solo artist.
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[edit] Biography
Carlton Weathersby was born on February 24, 1953 in Jackson, Mississippi. He spent his early years in Meadeville, Mississippi, a place he still considers home, though when he was eight his family moved to East Chicago, Indiana.
[edit] Pre-Musician Years (1953-1979)
As a teen, Carl 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 Carl 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 Carl how to play it. Despite Carl's mistake, Albert was impressed and would eventually sign Carl on to play rhythm guitar with him on tour.
However his career as musician would start many years later. Before then, Carl worked many jobs ranging from steel mill worker to prison guard and police men. He also served in the US Army from 1971 to 1977, during the Vietnam War.
[edit] Collaborative Years (1979-1995)
It was after the Vietnam War that Carl would begin playing rhythm guitar with Albert King. It was only on short road trips between 1979-81, but the experience solidified Carl's identity as a blues musician.
He then started filling in for the guitarist of the Sons of Blues, Carlos Johnson, who Carl described as "a pretty shaky guy, you know. He could show up just as easy as he couldn't show up..." [1] Eventually the band hired Carl on as their full-time guitarist, a position he held for the next fifteen years.
[edit] Solo 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. So Carl decided to go solo.
Because of his growing popularity, Evidence records was quick to produce Carl's first album "Don't Lay Your Blues on Me." They have since published all of his subsequent albums, including his most recent one, "Come to Papa".
[edit] Discography
- Don't Lay Your Blues on Me (1996)
- Looking Out My Window (1997)
- Restless Feeling (1998)
- Come to Papa (2000)
