King Biscuit Boy

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King Biscuit Boy was the stage name of Richard Alfred Newell (9 March 1944, Hamilton, Ontario - 5 January 2003, Hamilton, Ontario) a Canadian blues musician. In 2003, after his death, a new Biscuit Boy came on to the scene but faded off after his trip to Hardelot, France.

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[edit] Career

Newell played guitar and sang, but was most noted for his harmonica playing. His stage name was taken from the King Biscuit Flour Hour, an early American blues broadcast.

Newell played with The Barons (later renamed Son Richard and the Chessmen) from 1961 to 1965, followed by a stint with The Midknights and then with Ronnie Hawkins' backing band. Hawkins fired the entire band in 1969, upon which the members, including Newell, formed themselves into their own band, which they named Crowbar. Newell recorded an album with Crowbar, then embarked on a solo career, although he played with Crowbar off and on throughout his career.

He was the first Canadian blues artist to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., plus Rolling Stone called him "legendary".[citation needed]

King Biscuit Boy has played with artists like Muddy Waters, Joe Cocker, Janis Joplin, and his fans include Keith Richards and Paul McCartney.[citation needed]

[edit] Discography

  • Official Music (as King Biscuit Boy and Crowbar) (1970, Daffodil; 1996, Stony Plain)
  • Gooduns (1974, Daffodil; 1996, Stony Plain)
  • King Biscuit Boy (1974, Epic)
  • Mouth of Steel (1979, UK, Red Lightning; 1982, Canada, Stony Plain)
  • Badly Bent (The Best of King Biscuit Boy) (1982, Daffodil)
  • King Biscuit Boy AKA Richard Newell (1988, Stony Plain)
  • Urban Blues Re: Newell (1995, Blue Wave; 1995, Stony Plain)

[edit] Quotation

“ Newell is the Sonny Boy Williamson of the Great White North. ”

—Tommy Tearaway, [1]

[edit] External links


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