Michael Burks

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Michael Burks (2007)
Michael Burks at the Blues Festival in Reykjavík 2012

Michael "Iron Man" Burks (born July 30, 1957 in Milwaukee , Wisconsin , † May 6, 2012 in Atlanta , Georgia ) was an American blues guitarist .

Life

Burks comes from a musical family in which the blues is very important. His grandfather Joe Burks played in local bars in Camden , Arkansas and his father Frederik also played in blues clubs after work and supported tour musicians, including Sonny Boy Williamson II . He began playing guitar at the age of two by playing on his father's records. He always got a dollar for doing that until his father came home from work. He made his first public appearance at the age of six on a trip to Arkansas.

In the early 1970s, after his father's hand was badly injured, he and his family went to Arkansas , where they opened the Bradley Ferry Country Club, where Michael led the house band. They supported numerous blues and rhythm-'n-blues stars who performed there. Tables near the stage had to be reserved two weeks in advance.

When the club closed in the mid-1980s, Burks took a job at Lockheed Martin but still played at local festivals and local clubs. Lockheed even brought customers to its gigs. In 1997 he recorded his first album, From the Inside Out , which he produced himself and which was enthusiastically welcomed in the media (Blues Access: "... the most impressive indie album in recent times"; Living Blues : "... the best debut album of the Year "). In 2001 he signed with Alligator Records, who have released three albums from him so far. Michael Burks described his style as follows: "Throw Freddie King, Albert King, BB King, Albert Collins, Wes Montgomery and Chuck Berry in one big pot, cook everything through and you get me!"

On May 6, 2012, Burks collapsed after a European tour at the Atlanta airport with a heart attack. He could not be resuscitated in the hospital. Burks died at the age of 54.

Awards

  • 1994: Albert King Award
  • 2009: 3 nominations for the Blues Music Award (Contemporary Blues Male, Instrumental-Guitar and Rock Blues Album of the Year)

Discography

Albums

  • 1997: From the Inside Out - Vent
  • 2001: Make It Rain - Alligator Records
  • 2003: I Smell Smoke - Alligator Records
  • 2008: Iron Man - Alligator Records
  • 2012: Show Of Strength - Alligator Records

Guest appearances

  • 2002: Hey Bo Diddley: A Tribute!
  • 2007: Just a Matter of Time - Joe Pitts
  • 2009: Man Child - Marquise Knox

Charts

  • 2003: I Smell Smoke - Billboard Top Blues Albums # 12
  • 2008: Iron Man - Billboard Top Blues Albums # 4

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Arkansas bluesman Michael Burks dead at 54 in fayettevilleflyer.com, accessed May 7, 2012
  2. ↑ a b c d Alligator Records: Michael Burks
  3. ^ A b All Music Guide biography of Greg Prato
  4. ↑ Blues Talk with Michael Burks ( Memento of the original from January 23, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.concerto.at
  5. ↑ Michael Burks (1957-2012)  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / wasser-prawda.de  
  6. ^ All Music Guide Discography Michael Burks
  7. ↑ AMG credits Michael Burks
  8. ↑ All Music Guide Charts Michael Burks
personal data
SURNAME Burks, Michael
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Iron Man (nickname)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American blues guitarist
DATE OF BIRTH July 30, 1957
PLACE OF BIRTH Milwaukee
DATE OF DEATH May 6, 2012
Place of death Atlanta , Georgia