is a soul-blues crooner in the classic Chicago tradition. Best known for his work with Billy Branch & Sons of the Blues,
, was hailed as genuine, state-of-the-art Chicago blues for the '90s.
, in 1997, and the raves continued; the song "The Blues Follow Me Around," which
Born in Jackson, MS,
Weathersby was eight when his family moved to East Chicago, Indiana. He spent his summers back home with relatives in Mississippi.
Weathersby grew up immersed in blues music and has many family links to the blues, R&B, and Motown legacies: he's related to the late
Leonard "Baby Doo" Caston,
Willie Dixon's pianist in
the Big Three Trio, a popular Chicago group in the early '50s;
Weathersby's cousin is
Leonard Caston, Jr., a member of the Chicago soul group
the Radiants, who had a 1965 Chess Records hit with "Voice Your Choice"; singer
G.C. Cameron from the Motown group
the Spinners is another cousin. Additionally, a neighbor was a cousin of
Hound Dog Taylor, and
Weathersby's father was friendly with
Albert King. One day while
Weathersby was practicing
King's licks from a 45 rpm recording of "Crosscut Saw," his father and
King overheard him.
King encouraged the boy, who hadn't realized his identity until then, and eventually hired him as a rhythm guitarist for short road trips in 1979, 1980, and 1982.
Before becoming a full-time musician with
Branch's Sons of the Blues,
Weathersby worked in a steel mill, as a police officer, and as a prison guard. He also spent time in Vietnam serving in the Army from 1971 to 1977. His life experiences in all four occupations are rich fodder for his songwriting, which is as fresh, original, and life-affirming as one is likely to find from any other contemporary blues player.
Weathersby spent 14 years, from 1982 to 1996, with harmonica player
Branch's Sons of the Blues before he decided to have a go at leading a band under his own name. For his Evidence albums,
Weathersby is accompanied by two great New Orleans musicians, who add just the right touches of funk to the band's sound:
David Torkanowsky on piano and keyboards and
Herman Ernest III on drums, the latter a key element in
Dr. John's quartet, the Lower 911.
Weathersby's first album,
Don't Lay Your Blues on Me, won nominations in the 1996 Living Blues Critics' Awards for Best New Blues Album, Best Blues Album, and Best Debut Album.
Weathersby was also nominated for a 1997
W.C. Handy Blues Award for Best New Blues Artist. Subsequent outings include 1998's
Restless Feeling and 2000's
Come to Papa.
–
Richard Skelly, Rovi