Victor Wainwright

Victor Wainwright
Background information
Birth name Victor Lawton Wainwright, Jr.
Also known as Piana from Savannah[1]
Born February 4, 1981
Savannah, Georgia, United States
Genres Blues, boogie woogie[2]
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, record producer
Instruments Piano, hammond b3 organ, vocals[3]
Years active 2000s–present
Labels WildRoots Records, Blind Pig Records
Website Official website

Victor Wainwright (born February 4, 1981)[4] is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. In 2013 and 2014, Wainwright won the 'Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year' at the Blues Music Award ceremonies.[5][6] Also in 2013, his collaborative album, Easy Livin' , made the Top 10 in the US Billboard Top Blues Album chart.[6]

Wainwright's musical style was described by the American Blues Scene magazine in 2013 as "honky-tonk and boogie, with a dose of rolling thunder. Wainwright's playing is simply beautiful madness."[7]

Living Blues magazine noted that "Wainwright serves as an electrifying guide to a good time – spinning tales, telling his listeners how to beat the blues, and meticulously conjuring raw soul and energy out of his acoustic piano."[6]

Wainwright currently tours both nationally and internationally, performing with two bands: Southern Hospitality[8] and Victor Wainwright and the Wild Roots.[9]

Life and career

Victor Lawton Wainwright, Jr. was born in Savannah, Georgia, United States.[6] Both his father and grandfather were blues musicians, and became Wainwright's early mentors, along with family friend Pinetop Perkins. At the age of 10 at a family gathering, Wainwright played "Für Elise".[10] Wainwright's own ensemble backed Eric Culberson at the Savannah Blues Bar, during the former's high school years.[4] Wainwright later attended college in Daytona Beach, Florida, and undertook an Air Traffic Management and Psychology degree at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, before relocating to Memphis, Tennessee.[11] He then worked as an air traffic controller at Memphis International Airport.[4]

In 2004, Wainwright met Stephen Dees in Ormond Beach, Florida.[4] The latter was part of Novo Combo in the early 1980s. The meeting led to Dees co-writing and producing Wainwright's debut album, Piana from Savannah (2005).[12]

In 2008, Wainwright played alongside the Reverend Billy C. Wirtz on Wirtz' live album Pianist Envy – Group Therapy.[13] In September 2009, Wainwright's second album, Beale Street to the Bayou, was released by Wild Roots Records, with Wainwright's backing band, which included Dees, billed as the WildRoots.[12]

In October 2010, Wainwright appeared at Dark Season Blues in Norway.[14][15] In 2011, he performed at the South Florida Boogie Woogie Piano Festival.[10] In June that year, Lit Up! was released, again credited to Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots.[16] He also performed at Springing the Blues in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, plus at Memphis in May in 2012. The same year he was nominated for the first time for a Blues Music Award.[6]

Following an impromptu jam session in July 2011 in Florida, Wainwright teamed up with Damon Fowler, J.P. Soars, Chuck Riley, and Chris Peet to form the band that would eventually become Southern Hospitality. Their first gig was supporting Buddy Guy in August the same year at the Heritage Music Blues Fest in Wheeling, West Virginia.[17] Their debut album, Easy Livin' , (2013) was produced by Tab Benoit, and released by Blind Pig Records.[8] It peaked at No. 9 on the US Billboard Top Blues Album chart.[11] In 2014, Wainwright won the 'Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year' award at the Blues Music Awards for the second consecutive year.[5][6][18]

In October 2014, Wainwright appeared at the Daytona Blues Festival.[11]

Wainwright currently lives in Memphis, Tennessee.[8]

Discography

Year Title Record label Billed as
2005 Piana from Savannah WildRoots Victor Wainwright
2009 Beale Street to the Bayou WildRoots Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots
2011 Lit Up! WildRoots Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots
2013 Easy Livin' Blind Pig Southern Hospitality

[19][2][20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Blues Pianist Victor Wainwright – Minnesota State University, Mankato". Mnsu.edu. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Pianna from Savannah". Allmusic. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Beale Street to the Bayou – Victor Wainwright & the WildRoots – Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Blues Blast Magazine – Featured Interview – Victor Wainwright". Bluesblastmagazine.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Reverend Keith A. Gordon. "2014 Blues Music Awards". Blues.about.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 "Victor Wainwright". Victorwainwright.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  7. ↑ "American Blues Scene 2013 Magazine Quote". Victorwainwright.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Southern Hospitality". Southernhospitalityband.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Victor Wainwright & the WildRoots".
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Victor Wainwright. "Victor Wainwright's Blues". Victorwainwright.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "New Victor Wainwright Album Debuts on Billboard Top Ten". Daytonabluesfestival.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots – Lit Up – CD Baby Music Store". Cdbaby.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Yahoo! Groups". Groups.yahoo.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Dark Season Blues 2010". Svalbardblues.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Bluesnews – Bluesnews". Bluesnews.no. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Boston's on the Beach – Victor Wainwright and the Wildroots". Bostonsonthebeach.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Southern Hospitality featuring the Damon Fowler Band & Victor Wainwright and the Wild Roots – Riverfront Blues Festival". Riverfrontbluesfestde.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Congratulations to 2014 Blues Music Award Winner Victor Wainwright". Bluespros.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Victor Wainwright & the Wild Roots | Discography". Allmusic. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Wild Roots Records". Woldrootsrecords.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.

External links