Elmore D

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Elmore D., born near Liège in 1946, blues musician. His real name is Daniel Droixhe and is also professor at the University of Liège where he is giving lectures on the history and culture of Wallonia.

The name Elmore is a reference to Elmore James whose slide guitar sound he used to imitate at the beginning of his career. In 1988, he was nominated for the Paris-Bagneux Blues Contest and played in "avant-première" of the Chicago Blues Festival. In 1997, he created the "Elmore D Band" with two ex-members of the Electric Kings, Big Dave (harp) and Willie Maze (drums), and the "sterguitarist" Lazy Horse (also with Flip Kawlier's band). They performed at various festivals :

12e Spring Blues Festival (Ecaussinnes, 1999),
4th Blues and Bloom Festival (Houthalen, 2000),
Belgium Rhythm and Blues Festival (Peer, Belgium, 2000),
Nuit du Blues (Marcq-en-Baroeul, 2001),
Skoebustel Blues (Izegem, 2001),
Drijf-In Blues Festival (Giethoorn, 2001),
Slang a Klang (Luxembourg 2002),
Bluesfestivalen Mönsterås (Sweden).

Elmore D. re-interpret pre-war blues music, in particular slide guitar players (Casey Bill Weldon, Kokomo Arnold, Blind Willie McTell). He's strongly influenced by jug and washboard bands (Memphis Jug Band, Cannon Jug Stompers, Washboard Sam) or Memphis Minnie, Big Bill Broonzy and Leadbelly. Other influences by contemporary artists: the Electric Rag Band, the Country Blues Project (Germany), Preacher Boy, Gordon Smith, Paul Geremiah, Paul Rishell and Annie Raines.