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Lucky Peterson

Lucky Peterson is the most dangerous triple threat working in the blues. A searing lead guitarist, fantastic organist, and first-rate vocalist, Lucky played his first gig at age three. By the time he was five, he had already recorded his first single, produced by none other than the legendary Willie Dixon. As a child prodigy, Lucky was somewhat of a novelty act. Now he is a true blues veteran. Over the last three decades, Lucky has played to audiences all over the world, dazzling both fans and critics with his multi-instrumental talents (he plays keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and trumpet), his soulful vocal style and his youthful approach to the blues. Born Judge Kenneth Peterson in 1963, Lucky was raised on music in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, His Father, James Peterson, was a blues singer and owner of the Governor’s Inn, a northern version of a Deep South “chitlin’ circuit roadhouse club. Artists like Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Muddy Waters and Koko Taylor played there regularly. Virtually growing up on stage, little Lucky began playing almost before he began talking. He started on drums, but after hearing the famed Bill Doggett one night, Lucky became fascinated by the huge Hammond B-3 organ. “Bill had a fit trying to keep me from it, recalls Lucky. After some lessons from Doggett and the legendary Jimmy Smith, Lucky focused most of his musical energy on the organ. In his spare time, he also mastered bass and piano, becoming good enough to sit in with his father’s band and back touring artists like Lightin Hopkins and Jimmy Reed. At First, people wouldn’t believe he could play so well, says James Peterson. They would think the organ was rigged. By the time Lucky was five, word of this child prodigy had spread among the blues community. Willie Dixon, a friend of James Peterson heard little Lucky and produced the boy’s first record, a single entitled 1, 2, 3 4 and a follow-up album for Chicago’s Today Records. The single hit the airwaves with a bang and the national television appearances followed. As Lucky continued to grow, he honed his instrumental skills by learning from and jamming with some of the best blues players in the world. When Little Milton’s band came up short an organ player one night, Milton asked the then 17-year-old Lucky to sit in. One gig was all it took for Milton to fall in love with Lucky’s playing.

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Album Review

Lucky Peterson: I'm Back Again

Read "I'm Back Again" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Chi ha già il cofanetto Live at the 55 Arts Club Berlin del 2012, comprendente 3 DVD e 2 CD, può evitare di acquistare questo disco che risulta esserne una selezione stringata, con le esecuzioni del solo bluesman di Buffalo. Per coprire tutti i possibili segmenti del mercato (anche il pubblico occasionale o chi non vuol spendere troppo) ora escono undici brani di quel concerto -escludendo le esecuzioni con la moglie Tamara-con un album graffiante come pochi, che ...

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Album Review

Lucky Peterson: The Son Of A Bluesman

Read "The Son Of  A Bluesman" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


When the multi-talented Lucky Peterson sings of blues in his blood, it's not merely figurative boasting; Peterson's pedigree reads like a partial history of the music. Peterson was born into the blues, growing up in a home where his father--James Peterson--played guitar, sang, and passed on his gifts to his offspring. More importantly, the elder Peterson owned the Governor's Inn--a blues venue in Buffalo where Lucky Peterson soaked up the sounds of the legends who passed through ...

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Interview

A Fireside Chat with Lucky Peterson

Read "A Fireside Chat with Lucky Peterson" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Blues icon Leadbelly is legendary, in part, because of his versatility. Familiar with the blues, ballads, rhymes, hymns, and gospel, Leadbelly's influence is prominent in every genre of music in this country. Lucky Peterson, born a decade and a half after Leadbelly's death, has the functional dexterity of Leadbelly, yet the modernistic relevance of other legends of the music like Jimmy Rushing. Peterson has a quality that rings home to the common man, the blue-collar working class, and so an ...

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Album Review

Lucky Peterson: Double Dealin'

Read "Double Dealin'" reviewed by Al Rearick


For those who think that the blues has used up all its ideas in overly-cliched songs about somebody’s woman doin’ him wrong, played over the usual ba-DA-da-Da-da beat, a new record has appeared on the horizon brimming with new twists on grand old ideas.

That record is Lucky Peterson's Double Dealin’.

What makes a record truly great is its ability branch out into different genres while remaining rooted in the foundation from which it sprang. In this case, every excursion-from ...

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Album Review

Lucky Peterson: Lucky Peterson

Read "Lucky Peterson" reviewed by Ed Kopp


Son of Buffalo blues musician and club owner James Peterson, 34-year old Lucky Peterson recorded his first album at age 5 -- and Willie Dixon produced it. Lucky is aptly named, but the thing that makes him lucky is not his birthright or his early start -- it's his talent. Peterson plays nasty wah-wah-tinged guitar, soulful B-3, saucy electric piano, and he sings with captivating intensity.This self-titled release contains more soul than blues tunes. Some of its tracks ...

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129

Recording

Lucky Peterson - You Can Always Turn Around (Dreyfus, 2010)

Lucky Peterson - You Can Always Turn Around (Dreyfus, 2010)

Source: Music and More by Tim Niland

Lucky Peterson was a childhood prodigy playing blues and R&B from an early age and mastering several instruments, even scoring a major label deal at one point. After some personal problems that led him to take a lower profile, he returns with this album, which demonstrate his diverse musical interests. Putting together a nice small band with Larry Campbell on guitars, Scott Petito on bass and Gary Burke on drums (and Peterson's wife Tamara providing a few backing vocals) the ...

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Recording

Lucky Peterson Interprets Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, Ray Lamontagne, Robert Johnson & Blind Willie McTell

Lucky Peterson Interprets Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, Ray Lamontagne, Robert Johnson & Blind Willie McTell

Source: conqueroo

Blues singer/keyboardist/guitarist's first album in seven years features Larry Campbell, Scott Petito and Gary Burke, and songs by Robert Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Tom Waits, Ray LaMontagne and Lucinda Williams

WOODSTOCK, N.Y.--Lucky Peterson was discovered by blues legend Willie Dixon when he was three years old, released his first record at five and soon after appeared on The Tonight Show. Trained by keyboardists Bill Doggett and Jimmy Smith, Peterson went on to play behind Little Milton, Bobby “Blue" Bland and ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

I'm Back Again

Music Avenue
2015

buy

The Son Of A Bluesman

Jazz Village
2014

buy

Organ Soul Sessions

Lester Recording Catalog
2009

buy

Black Midnight Sun

Lester Recording Catalog
2003

buy

Jody's Got Your Girl...

Lester Recording Catalog
2003

buy

Double Dealin'

Blue Thumb Records
2001

buy

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