Lucky Peterson: Difference between revisions

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Lucky Peterson
Peterson performing at the 2006 Riverwalk Blues Festival
Background information
Birth name	Judge Kenneth Peterson
Born	(1964-12-16) 16 December 1964 (age 59) Buffalo, New York, United States
Genres	Blues, soul, R&B, gospel, rock and roll
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)	Guitar, Keyboards
Labels	Disques Dreyfus, Evidence Records, Alligator Records, Verve records, Blue Thumb Records, JSP Records

Lucky Peterson (born Judge Kenneth Peterson, December 13, 1964, Buffalo, New York^[1]) is an American musician who plays contemporary blues, fusing soul, R&B, gospel and rock and roll. He plays guitar and keyboards. Music journalist Tony Russell, in his book The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray has said, "he may be the only blues musician to have had national television exposure in short pants."^[2]

This section needs expansion with: early life. You can help by adding to it. (January 2011)

Peterson's father, bluesman James Peterson, owned a nightclub in Buffalo called The Governor's Inn. The club was a regular stop for fellow bluesmen such as Willie Dixon. Dixon saw a five-year-old Lucky Peterson performing at the club and, in Peterson's words, "Took me under his wing." Months later, Peterson performed on The Tonight Show, The Ed Sullivan Show and What's My Line?. Millions of people watched Peterson sing "1-2-3-4", a cover version of "Please, Please, Please" by James Brown. At the time, Peterson said "his father wrote it". Around this time he recorded his first album, Our Future: 5 Year Old Lucky Peterson, for Today/Perception Records and appeared on the public television show, Soul!.

As a teen, Peterson studied at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, where he played the French horn with the school symphony. Soon, he was playing backup guitar and keyboards for Etta James, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and Little Milton.^[2]

The 1990s were a prolific period for Peterson. Two solo Bob Greenlee produced albums for the Chicago-based Alligator Records (1989's Lucky Strikes! and the following year's Triple Play) remain his finest recorded offerings.^[3] He then released four more for the record label, Verve Records (I'm Ready, Beyond Cool, Lifetime and Move). While with Verve, Peterson collaborated with Mavis Staples on a tribute to gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, called Spirituals & Gospel. Peterson played electric organ behind Staples' singing.

More albums from Peterson came after 2000. He recorded two for Blue Thumb Records (Lucky Peterson and Double Dealin'), and one for Disques Dreyfus entitled, Black Midnight Sun. In 2007, he released Tete a Tete on JSP Records.

In 2013, the Blackbird Music/55 Arts Club DVD of Live At The 55 Arts Club Berlin was nominated for a Blues Music Award.^[4]

Today, Peterson lives in Dallas, Texas, and maintains a rigorous tour schedule performing all over the world.

Peterson has four children.

• 1969: Our Future: 5 Year Old Lucky Peterson – Today Records
• 1984: Ridin' – Evidence
• 1989: Lucky Strikes! – Alligator
• 1990: Triple Play – Alligator
• 1992: I'm Ready – Verve
• 1993: Beyond Cool – Verve
• 1995: Lifetime – Verve
• 1998: Move – Verve
• 1999: Lucky Peterson – Blue Thumb
• 2001: Double Dealin' – Blue Thumb – Grammy Award nominee, produced by John Porter
• 2003: Black Midnight Sun – Dreyfus
• 2009: Organ Soul Sessions – Emarcy
• 2010: Heart of Pain – JSP
• 2010: You Can Always Turn Around – Dreyfus
• 2011: Every Second a Fool is Born – JSP
• 2012: Live at the 55 Arts Club Berlin – Blackbird Music
• 2014: The Son of a Bluesman – Jazz Village

• 2004: If You Can't Fix It with James Peterson – JSP
• 2007: Tête à Tête with Andy Aledort & Larry McCray – JSP
• 2009: Darling Forever with Tamara Peterson – JSP
• 2013 Whatever You Say With Tamara Peterson – JSP

• List of jazz organists
• Long Beach Blues Festival

• Lucky Peterson biography at Allmusic website
• Lucky Peterson Official Website at www.luckypeterson.com