Billy Gibson

Billy Gibson is an American harmonica player and blues/jazz singer. Known as "The Prince of Beale Street", he won the Blues Music Award Instrumentalist Of The Year (Harmonica) in 2009.

Early life and education

Billy Gibson was born in Camden, Tennessee. He grew up in Clinton, Mississippi, where he started playing the harmonica at a young age. He holds a bachelor's degree in Music from the University of Memphis (2003).

Career

After high school, he moved to Clarksdale, Mississippi, where he began playing with blues guitarist Johnnie Billington and drummer Ronald Bluster ("Bobby Little") in Billington's group The Midnighters.

After leaving Midnighters, Gibson moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and often performed on Beale Street in Downtown Memphis. In Memphis, he also learned to play chromatic harmonica from harmonica maestro, Pete Pedersen. Gaining fame on Beale Street, he earned the title "The Prince of Beale Street".

In 1997, Gibson released a 7-track album In A Memphis Tone (mixed by Bill Pappas and mastered by Larry Nix). The following year, he joined the short-lived Southern rock band Junkyardmen. He played harmonica and also provided vocals on their 1998 album Scrapheap Full Of Blues (Inside Memphis Records) with bassist Kevin Sheahan, drummer John Scalici, and guitarist Jesse Hoggard. It also featured keyboardist Al Gamble and pianist and singer Mose Vinson. The following year, he played on Junkyardmen's next album Keep On Workin' (Inside Memphis Records).

In 1999, Gibson received an endorsement from German harmonica maker Hohner. In 2000, he was heard on Deborah Coleman's fourth studio album Soft Place to Fallalongside William Brown (brother of R&B singer Randy Brown) (backing vocals); Dave Smith (bass); Marty Binder (drums); Billy Crawford, Jack Holder (guitar); and Ernest Williamson (organ and Keyboards).

In the following years, Gibson attended the University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, and received his Bachelor of Arts in Music in 2003.

In 2003, Gibson's harmonica was heard on Michael Burks's blues album I Smell Smoke with David Smith (bass); Steve Potts (drums); Ernest Williamson (Keyboards); and Vasti Jackson (guitar).

In 2005, Gibson formed his band Billy Gibson Band with James Jackson (bass); Cedric Keel (drums); Charlie Wood (piano, organ, clavinet); Charles Cambell (saxophone); and David Bowen (guitar). His band has released three albums:

• Live At Rum Boogie Cafe - On Historic Beale Street (2005)
• The Billy Gibson Band (2005)
• Southern Livin' (2006)

Gibson also performs in The Delta Cats duo with his guitarist David Bowen.

Awards & Recognition

• 2009: Blues Music Award Instrumentalist Of The Year - Harmonica
• 2006: Blues Music Award Nominee - Best New Artist
• 2005: Beale Street Entertainer of the Year
• 2002: Premier "Harmonica" Player Award - NARAS (Memphis Chapter)
• 1993: West Tennessee Bluegrass Harmonica Champion

Discography

Albums

• 1996: Billy Gibson (North Magnolia Music)
• 2001: The Nearness of You (Inside Sounds)
• 2004: In a Memphis Tone (Inside Sounds)
• 2005: The Billy Gibson Band (Inside Sounds)
• 2006: Southern Livin’ (Inside Sounds)
• 2007: Live at Rum Boogie Cafe – On Historic Beale Street (DaddyO Records)

Sound Engineer

• 1998: Seal's album Human Being

Guest appearances

• 1998: Junkyardmen: Scrapheap Full of Blues (Gesang, Inside Memphis)
• 2000: Deborah Coleman: Soft Place to Fall (Blind Pig Records)
• 2005: Jim McCarty & Richard Hite: A Yardbirds in Memphis (Inside Sound)
• 2006: Daddy Mack Blues Band's album Slow Ride
• 2008: Jim Shearer and Charlie Wood's album The Memphis Hang (Summit Records – DCD 502)
• 2008: Michael Burks: I Smell Smoke (Alligator Records)
• 2009: JT Lauritsen & The Buckshot Hunters: Live (Hunters Records)
• 2011: Magda Piskorczyk's album Afro Groove with Aleksandra Siemieniuk (guitar); and Marcin Jahr (drums)

Production

• 1995: Jason Ricci: Jason Ricci (North Magnolia Music)
• 1997: Jason Ricci: Down at the Juke (North Magnolia Music)