BILLY BRANCH (CHICAGO / USA)
www.billybranch.com
Billy Branch is widely considered a cultural ambassador of Chicago Blues. Two different mayors of Chicago have made proclamations naming him the ‘Chicago Blues Ambassador’. Billy Branch was discovered by Willie Dixon while still in college and ended up touring with the Dixon’s band for six years. Since those early days, Billy has played on over 300 different recordings including 16 albums under his own name. Billy has recorded with Willie Dixon, Johnny Winter, Keb' Mo, Lou Rawls, Koko Taylor, Eric Bibb, Eddy Clearwater, Honeyboy Edwards, Syl Johnson, Lurrie Bell, Ronnie Baker Brooks, John Primer, and Taj Mahal, just to name a few.
“As heir apparent to the Chicago blues harmonica throne, Billy Branch is perfectly suited to shine a bright new light on the timeless music of Little Walter Jacobs, a transcendent artist revered by millions and an inspiration to every harmonica player who followed in his wake. ”
UPCOMING SHOWS
TBA
BILLY BRANCH:
EMMY AWARD WINNER
3 TIME GRAMMY NOMINEE
RETIRED 2 TERM GRAMMY GOVERNOR
2020 BLUES FOUNDATION HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
ALLIGATOR RECORDS RECORDING ARTIST
Billy has three Grammy Award nominations, having lost one nomination to BB King and Eric Clapton! He served two consecutive terms on the NARAS Grammy Board of Governors and founded the First Grammy Blues Committee. Because Billy's Blues credentials include dozens of years spent working side-by-side with many of Chicago's illustrious Blues musicians of years gone by, he is considered an ambassador of Chicago Blues. In that role he has written the forwards to three books, given numerous U.S. State Department cultural exchanges in other countries, presented keynote speeches (one for the Obama Foundation), and presented to the leaders of Turkey's Parliament, teaching them to play harmonica. Billy also does commercial voice-overs and has acted in two major motion pictures. Branch is also honored to be a member of the Jim Irsay Collection Band that features Rock & Roll Hall of Famers like Vince Gill, Stephen Stills, Ann Hart, Kevin Cronin (REO Speedwagon), Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Billy Branch and The Sons of Blues (SOBs) is celebrating their fiftieth anniversary in 2027. It's hard to imagine that the SOB's very first paid gig was in Germany at the 1977 Berlin Jazz Festival. Over the many years since, Billy Branch and the Sons of Blues have consistently delivered the Chicago Blues to fans around the world. During their six-week tour of Turkey, thousands of fans showed up every night of the week to experience authentic Chicago Blues. Billy has toured the Peoples Republic of China five times. The Sons of Blues have made about 300 international tours, sharing the cultural legacy of the Blues around the world. In many cases Billy has collaborated with international musicians along the way on tour or back home in Chicago. World Music artists such as Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Toure, Susana Baca, Cedric Watson, Bombino, Son De Madera and more.
Billy Branch is a Blues education pioneer. He was one of the first artists to develop a Blues in Schools curriculum. Since 1978, in addition to recording and performing, he has taught hundreds of thousands of children around the world. His internationally recognized “Blues in Schools Program” is committed to teaching students of all ages about the Blues as the roots of America's music. Billy received the Blues Foundation's KBA (Keeping the Blues Alive) Award for his unique program in which his curriculum and instruction strategies open his students' eyes to music history, & music theory.