LIGHTNIN` GUY

LIGHTNIN’ GUY
Winner Belgian Blues
Challenge 2011
HIGH INTENSITY ROOTS
Slide Guitar & Harmonica
Active member of the
Media Kit ENGLISH - 2012
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LIGHTNIN’ GUY IN 2012
It sounds like a dusty cliché but Lightnin 'Guy is "the hardest working performer" of the Belgian blues & roots scene.
Since last year he also regularly played concerts at several European venues and toured in France, Germany, Austria,
Luxembourg, Spain and Slovakia. His last album "The Banana Peel Sessions" was in 2011 the best selling Blues album
of Belgium.
EUROPEAN BLUES CHALLENGE BERLIN (DE)
In October 2011 Lightnin' Guy won the Belgian Blues Challenge with 41% of the votes and represented Belgium at
the European Blues Challenge ‘12 in Berlin. Because of his growing popularity these concerts were incorporated in a
bigger tour through Germany.
DIXIEFROG RECORDS (FR)
At end of 2011 Lightnin' Guy signed with the prestigious French record company Dixiefrog Records. He is one a of the
few Belgian blues artist who were offered the chance to record for this label. Lightnin’ Guy now is part of the same
record label as Sonny Landreth, Eric Bibb, Duke Robillard, Joe Louis Walker, Poppa Chubby, Magic Slim, Kenny
Neal, ...
NEW CD/DVD: LIGHTNIN’ GUY PLAYS HOUND DOG TAYLOR
On August 6, 2011 Lightnin' Guy recorded his new live CD/DVD "Lightnin' Guy Plays Hound Dog Taylor" in the
Borderline Diest (BE). By playing the music of Hound Dog Taylor in the same setting and style; Lightnin' Guy honors
with this album his slide guitar hero and inspiration. This album and videos are the perfect alternative to experience
the magic and energy of a Hound Dog Taylor concert. Dixiefrog Records released the CD/DVD in February 2012 in
collaboration with Parsifal Records.
PLANS 2012
• Blues in Schools: is an educational music program for schools about the history of the blues.
• European Tour Lightnin 'Guy & the Mighty Gators: After intensive touring in Belgium, the band will mainly focus to play shows in Europe.
• Tour with Lightnin' Guy Plays Hound Dog Taylor: The CD/DVD release of Lightnin' Guy Plays Hound Dog Taylor is accompanied by an intensive
• Solo CD "Blood For Kali": The release of his solo CD is scheduled for September 2012 and will be followed by a European solo tour in October.
• Recording the first Studio CD: In the autumn of 2012 Lightnin 'Guy will record his first long awaited studio album, which will appear early 2013.
• Blues Jam Sessions: To give young musicians opportunities to play and socialize with experienced musicians, Lightnin’ Guy organizes in his hometown
Ghent every 1st Wednesday of the month an electric blues jam and every 3rd Wednesday of the month an acoustic blues jam.
In this media kit you will find all necessary information about Lightnin' Guy.
Nico A. Mertens
Parsifal Records
THE BLUES IS A VITAL ORGAN!
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PROJECTS
LIGHTNIN’ GUY & THE MIGHTY GATORS
Lightnin’ Guy & the Mighty Gators are currently Belgian’s blues pride and deliver show after show a high
energy genuine foot stompin’ blues & roots music experience. By playing in the ‘Louisiana swamp &
Chicago slide & harp’-tradition, the band always succeeds in making everybody dance and sing along to
their tight, groovy, honest riffs & licks. Lightnin' Guy is not only an excellent musician & singer, but also
an all-round entertainer. It does not matter for whom he plays nor where he plays with his Mighty
Gators, people always start shaking their asses and having a mighty good time. Laissez le Bon Ton
Roulet!!!
After countless shows in Belgium & Holland, the band started to knock on Europe’s blues door. in March
‘12 the band represented Belgium at the European Blues Challenge in Berlin (DE).
Line Up
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Lightnin’ Guy Verlinde: vocals, slide guitar & harmonica
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Willy Devleeschouwer: guitar (Louisiana Red, Kenny Neal, Joe Louis Walker, Ana Popovic,
Zora Young, ...)
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Karl Zosel: bass (K’s Choice, Boogie Boy, Raymond van het Groenewoud, …)
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Thierry Stievenart: drums (Maxwell Street Blues Band, Bill Roseman, Phil Clayton, …)
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On request
Patrick Cuyvers: hammond (Lurrie Bell, Sister Monica, Dallas Hodge, Phil Guy, James Harman, …)
LIGHTNIN’ GUY PLAYS HOUND DOG TAYLOR
“Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers” were all about rhythm and groove. Taylor’s slide guitar style was raw and wild.
The choice for Brewer Phillips on rhythm guitar (instead of a bass player) & Ted Harvey on drums, resulted in the deepest
and roughest house rockin’ blues in Chicago. From the late '50s through the mid '70s they probably played more gigs than
any other band in town; always playing till late at night, making people party & forget their troubles.
Lightnin’ Guy pays tribute to Hound Dog Taylor by playing his music in the same setting as he did. Songs as: Take Five,
Hawaiian Boogie, It’s Alright, Give me Back My Wig, Let’s Get Funky, Sadie … all are on the playlist. If you never got the
chance to see “the Dog” live; this is a perfect alternative to recapture the magic of a Hound Dog Taylor concert.
Line Up
•
Lightnin’ Guy Verlinde: vocals & slide guitar
•
Bart “Brewer Jr.” Mulders: rhythm guitar (Gene Taylor, James Harman, Keith Dunn, …)
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Erik “King Berik” Heirman: drums (Studebaker John, Super Chikan, …)
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LIGHTNIN’ GUY SOLO
It all started with an acoustic guitar & a harp. And though Lightnin’ Guy never picked cotton in the fields, but he surely had
his share of bad luck and trouble, happiness and hope. You can hear these feelings and thoughts in his contemporary acoustic
blues songs, with deep roots ranging from Flanders’ clay, over the Mississippi Delta to the swamps of Louisiana. Lightnin’ Guy
not only writes in the style of the old Delta Masters, but also is strongly influenced by contemporary songwriters as Chris
Whitley, Ben Harper, Xavier Rudd & John Butler. Of course he also honors during his solo shows the huge blues legacy by
digging up some old songs people forgot about or which never hit the charts.
During his acoustic shows Lightnin’ Guy takes his audience back to the roots of his musical career and plays a variety of
resonator guitars, a weissenborn guitar, diatonic & chromatic harps and an old suitcase as a bass drum.
An acoustic show is ideal for a small pub or to give an extra touch to a brunch, dinner or reception.
BLUES IN SCHOOLS
Blues is generally regarded as the cradle of modern pop and rock music. Born from the Working Songs of the African-American
slaves in the cotton fields of Mississippi, and considered as the "Devil's" party music of the Chicago blues clubs; this musical
style formed the basis of the soul, funk, disco and rock & roll music. The Blues was the inspiration of many pop and rock
musicians from the past like Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, James Brown, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, ... but also
contemporary stars like Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Eric Clapton, The White Stripes, Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, ...
The "Blues in Schools" project is an educational musical program where Lightnin 'Guy gives young people an overview of the
different styles (Delta Blues, Chicago Blues, ...), the most influential musicians (Muddy Waters, BB King, ...), the most
important instruments (guitar, harmonica, ...) and highlights the socio-cultural background with stories and anecdotes. Each
story is illustrated by live played musical examples.
The Blues gave Lightnin 'Guy so much in his life. Now it is time to give something back, by teaching young people about the
blues. Hopefully like that he can pass on his passion for the blues to a new generation.
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HIGHLIGHTS
2011
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2010
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2009
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2008
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Shows @ Reigen Vienna (AT), Sang A klang Luxembourg (LUX), Laboratorium Stuttgart (DE), Chorus Blues Douzy (FR), M.O.B. Bratislava (SK),
Labadoux Festival Ingelmunster (BE), Blues on the River Rotterdam (NL), Jazz Festival Breda (NL), Fonnefeesten Lokeren (BE), Jazz & Blues festival
Gouvy (BE), Wespelaar Swingt Wespelaar (BE), Banana Peel Ruiselede (BE), Culemborg Blues Culemborg (NL),
Shared the stage with: Sherman Robertson (US), Canned Heat (US), Memo Gonzales (DE), Ian Siegal (UK), Johnny Mastro & Mama’s Boys (US), John
Primer (US), Hook Herrera (US), Hendrik Freischlader (DE), …
Toured with Studebaker John (US), Guy Forsyth (US) & Aminata Seydi (S)
Played in Holland, Germany, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Slowakia & Austria
15/12: Record deal with French label Dixiefrog Records
06/11: Endorsement deal with Eastwood Guitars
17/10: First “Blues in Schools” show in La Louvière (BE)
16/10: Winner of the Belgian Blues Challenge with 41% of the votes
06/08: Recording CD/DVD “Lightnin’ Guy Plays Hound Dog Taylor” at the Borderline - Diest (BE)
Played @ Bluesfestival Kwadendamme (NL), Swing 2010 Wespelaar (BE), Nuit du Blues Charleroi (BE), Blues at the Attic Herent (BE), Blues in Schoten
(BE), Oetslovenblues (BE), Gentse Feesten Gent (BE), Bluescruise Dordrecht (NL), Tramblues Mortsel (BE), Jazz by Duurstede (NL), Fiesta City Verviers
(BE), Bluesfestival Acosse (BE), …
Shared the stage with: Canned Heat (US), Eddie C. Campbell (US), Sherman Robertson (US), Joe Louis Walker (US), The Fabulous Thunderbirds (US),
Enrico Crivellaro (IT), Carvin Jones (US), Chris Jagger (UK), Dr. Feelgood (UK), The NightHawks (US), R.J. Mischo (US), …
Played in Holland, Luxembourg & Austria
30-31/08: Recording Live CD: Banana Peel feat. Guy Forsyth
11/04: First acoustic show @ The Lane Oostburg (NL)
01/04: 8 page interview in Belgian Magazine Back to the Roots
Played @ Blues Peer Festival (BE), Gouvy Jazz-Blues Festival (BE), Bluesplein ‘09 Eindhoven (NL), Goorblues Gooreind (BE), Borderline Diest (BE),
Blues Conncection Rijen (NL), Nuit du Blues Montignies-Sur-Roc (BE), L’esprit (Rotterdam (NL),
Shared the stage with: John Fogerty (US), Jeff Beck (UK), Steve Winwood (US), Derek Truck (US), John Mayall (UK), Kenny Barron (US), Sonny
Rhodes (US), Carvin Jones (US), James Harman (US) Watermelon Slim (US), …
Toured in Holland & Austria
01/10 Release of “Live From the Heart“ on the Blue Sting Label of Parsifal Records
09/09: Signed the record deal with Parsifal Records
01-02/11: Recording 1st album “Live from The Heart”
18-26/10: Tour Austria (AT)
11/05: First show @ Monmartre Club Brussels (BE)
12/02: Lightnin’ Guy founds Lightnin’ Guy & the Mighty Gators
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BIOGRAPHY
THE BEGINNING
Lightnin' Guy was born on the 22nd of March 1976 as Guy Verlinde in a small village near Bruges. As a child he was
always obsessed with music: making his own toy guitars, being a bedroom dj, singing in the church choir, being a local
playback star, playing in the local harmony …
But it all started to fall into place once he bought his first guitar and harp at the age of 16. After moving to Bruges, he
discovered the blues through the massive record collection of a friend’s father. Soon after he founded his first band
Smokin’ Chillums at the age of 17. They played intensively the Belgian & Dutch blues scene for 6 years. Because of his
energetic performances his fans gave him the nickname “Lightnin’ Guy”.
MIYAGI SAN
Every talent needs a master, a guide and a bullshit detector. After moving to the city of Ghent, he met slide guitar player
Marino Noppe of the legendary bluesband Maxwell Street. He spent countless hours in his house, listening to old vinyl &
blues stories, playing his old vintage guitars, … With Marino he learned everything about being a blues musician. As the
backing guitar player of Maxwell Street he toured through the States and Europe playing with Hash Brown, Johnny
Moeller and Louisiana Blues legend Roscoe Chenier.
HARPIN’
Together with Marino Noppe he started the band Mo’ Rice where Lightnin’ Guy for the first time really focused on the
blues harp. During that time he developed himself as an energetic harp player influenced by Sonny Boy Williamson II, Junior Wells, James Cotton and Lester
Butler, who had a big impact on his playing.
SLIDIN’
Since he started playing the guitar, Lightnin’ Guy felt attracted to the slide guitar. First influenced by Chris
Whitley and later blown away by Hound Dog Taylor it became clear that this was his path to walk. Even
though he incorporated the soul of the traditional slide guitar players as Fred McDowell, Bukka White,
Elmore James … he also got inspired by contemporary artists like John Mooney, Anders Osborne, Sonny
Landreth, Ben Harper and John Butler.
HIGH ENERGY PERFORMER
As his slide & harp style are very emotional, unique & authentic, a Lightnin’ Guy show is always very
energetic. As he says:“ In a world of plastic & virtuality, people want real things“. A Lightnin’ Guy show is
all about energy and total surrender to the audience. This makes him a real crowd pleaser.
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DISCOGRAPHY
Lightnin’ Guy Plays Hound Dog Taylor
2012 © Copyright Dixiefrog Records –DFGCD8718
“Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers were all about rhythm and groove. Lightnin’ Guy pays tribute to his slide guitar hero &
inspiration by playing his music in the same setting as he did. This album and video’s are a perfect alternative to recapture the magic
of a Hound Dog Taylor concert.”
1. Take Five
5. Hawwaiian Boogie
9. 55th Street Boogie
2. Taylor’s Rock
6. Roll Your Money Maker
10. Wild About You Baby
3. Sadie
7. Freddie’s Blues
11. You Can’t Sit Down
4. She’s Gone
8. Let’s Get Funky
Banana Peel Sessions Ft. Guy Forsyth
2010 © Copyright Parsifal –Blue Sting 046
“Guy became a lot more than only a bluesman. This live record shows a versatile all rounder, dyed in the wool of a wide range of
southern American musical styles”
1. Love Light Shine
6. No Time To Waste
11. Me & My Blues
2. Soul Jivin’
7. Long Distance Shuffle
12. Rock & Roll on My Radio
3. Fallin’ For You
8. Lovestrong
13. Crazy ‘Bout My Baby
4. Poison
9. To Be With You
5. If You Walk With The Devil
10. I Will Rise
Live From The Heart
2009 © Copyright Lightnin' Guy & the Mighty Gators
“Live from the Heart’ is a powerful live album and takes you on a trip from Chicago to New Orleans. 15 steaming songs in 80 min.
perfectly capture what an audience experiences during a Lightnin' Guy & the Mighty Gators show”
1. Highway King
6. Automatic
11. Nine Below Zero
2. Goin’ Down
7. Gator Bop
12. Linda Lu
3. Cut You Loose
8. Out Of The Rain
13. Hip Shake
4. Ain't No Sunshine
9. Junko Partner
14. Do That Boogie
5. Congo Square
10. Gone Pecan
15. Bon Ton Roulet
Lookin’ Back
2008 © Copyright Lightnin' Guy
“Lookin’ Back reflects Lightnin’ Guy’s development as a young blues & roots artist. This album is a selection of studio, live &
previously unreleased songs recorded between 1998 & 2008.”
1. Hipshake
7. Here I Am
12. Just Your Fool
2. Lovestrong
8. Crosscut Saw (Live)
13. Shavin’ Sideburns (Live)
3. Howlin’ For My Darlin’ (Live)
9. My Thoughts Are Flowin’
14. Look What You Do To Me
4. I Rather Feel Lonely Tonight
10. Mellow Down Easy
15. Broke & Hungry (Live)
5. Rock & Roll On My Radio
11. Bottle Up & Go (Live)
16. Smokestatic Buzz
6. Bankstreet (Live)
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CONTACT: WWW.LIGHTNINGUY.COM
Lightnin’ Guy:
Record Companies:
Guy Verlinde
[email protected]
www.lightninguy.com
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1024658762
Parsifal Records
[email protected]
www.parsifal.be
General Management:
R&S Music
0032 495 320 310
[email protected]
www.blueboxprod.fr
Bookings France:
Bookings Holland:
Bookings Germany:
Concert Büro Loesche France
0033 6 08 81 17 87
[email protected]
www.concertbueroloesche.de
King Bee Music
Gerda van Eldik
0031 06 20181528
0031(0)183 623608
[email protected] 0031(0)6 33826486
www.kingbeemusic.nl [email protected]
Bookings Spain & Portugal:
SP Bizz Producciones
0034 678 719910
[email protected]
www.bizzproducciones.com
Dixiefrog Records
[email protected]
www.bluesweb.com
King Bee Music
0031 06 20181528
[email protected]
www.kingbeemusic.nl
Guitar Endorsement:
Eastwood Guitars UK
[email protected]
http://www.eastwoodguitars.co.uk
MORE THAN JUST A ROOTS ARTIST
It becomes obvious that Lightnin’ Guy is far more than just another blues & roots artist. His live shows are a truly unique experience for
the audience. Always excelling himself, he gives the audience the time of their lives.
And now after Belgium & Holland he’s ready to conquer the European stages ...
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