(8CD)
BIOGRAPHY
Michael Coleman (born June 24, 1956) 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. Coleman has released five solo albums to date, and variously
worked with James Cotton, Aron Burton, Junior Wells, John Primer and Malik
Yusef.
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.
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. In 1975 he became a full-time professional musician, and toured Europe with Eddy Clearwater four years later.
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. In 1975 he became a full-time professional musician, and toured Europe with Eddy Clearwater four years later.
This led him directly to work for James Cotton, and Coleman remained in
his band for a period of almost ten years. Coleman backed Cotton on his
Alligator Records album, Live From Chicago Mr Superharp Himself, and in
total completed three albums with Cotton.
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. 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".
Coleman formed the Backbreakers as his backing ensemble in 1991. 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.
In 2006, Coleman led a string of Delmark rostered musicians on the Blues
Brunch at the Mart album.
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. Coleman started his 2010 Chicago Blues Tour, by performing at
Rosa's Lounge in Chicago.
NEW!
1997-You Can't Take What I Got @320
2008-Harmony Mill @FLAC