| Michael Coleman | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 24, 1956 Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Chicago blues, electric blues, soul blues, funk, soul |
| Occupations | Guitarist, singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | Mid 1970s–present |
| Labels | Delmark, various |
Michael Coleman (born June 24, 1956)[1] is an American Chicago blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was voted one of the top 50 bluesmen in the world by Guitar World magazine.[2] Coleman has released five solo albums to date, and variously worked with James Cotton, Aron Burton, Junior Wells, John Primer and Malik Yusef.
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Coleman was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States. He began his musical career at a young age, playing alongside his father, Cleother "Baldhead Pete" Williams.[1] As a teenager he played with the Top 40 showband, Midnight Sun, and played the blues with Aron Burton and Johnny Dollar in Chicago's North Side.[2] In 1975 he became a full-time professional musician, and toured Europe with Eddy Clearwater four years later.[1] This led him directly to work for James Cotton, and Coleman remained in his band for a period of almost ten years.[3] Coleman backed Cotton on his Alligator Records album, Live From Chicago Mr Superharp Himself, and in total completed three albums with Cotton.[1][4]
During the 1980s, Coleman backed Junior Wells, Buster Benton, and Jimmy Dawkins, and also worked with Syl Johnson, before embarking on a solo career in the early 1990s.[1] His work was not without controversy, as in his 1987 song, "Woman Loves a Woman", he confessed he was in love with a woman, but then stated "She's in love with a woman too".[5] Coleman formed the Backbreakers as his backing ensemble in 1991.[2] The European record label, Wolf Records, issued Coleman's Shake Your Booty in 1995.
His debut US release was Do Your Thing!, issued by Delmark Records in 2000. It featured a mixture of material encompassing blues, soul and funk, with cover versions of songs previously recorded by Jimmy Reed, Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes. It was noted that the quality of his guitar playing, compensated for a lightweight vocal accompaniment.[3]
In 2006, Coleman led a string of Delmark rostered musicians on the Blues Brunch at the Mart album.[6]
However a combination of his weight and diabetes severely affected his health, and his doctor advised a new lifestyle which saw Coleman lose 150 pounds. On the 2010 Chicago Blues Tour, Coleman performed at Rosa's Lounge in Chicago.[7]
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Shake Your Booty | Wolf Records |
| 2000 | Do Your Thing! | Delmark Records |
| 2002 | Chicago Blues Festival 1991 | Disques Black & Blue |
| 2006 | Blues Brunch at the Mart | Delmark Records |
| 2008 | Harmony Mill | Minefield Records |