Billy Branch defies the Chicago blues stereotype. Born in Chicago, he moved to L.A. at five years old, then returned to Chicago at 17 to attend the University of IL. He never even heard any blues music until he was 18. He has a political science degree from the University of Illinois and just happens to have an excellent new album, The Blues Is My Biography, on which he sings and plays harmonica. The album takes the genre into new territory with a sophistication that deserves crediting him with creating a 21st century Chicago blues sound.
“These musical leanings were always there in a different way on different recordings,” says Branch, “but this was the first time I was able to put it into one cohesive package.
“I feel good about what we did. Actually, I’m not really doing anything outside of what I had been doing, but it’s just presented more in a complete package. For example, I had a recording 25 or more years ago on Polygram Verve that John Snyder produced. Polygram Verve Guitars did a blues series, and I had an album called Satisfied. On the record I’m doing R&B and blues songs. It’s R&B and blues, kinda like what this is. So, it’s really not uncharted territory. It’s just that it hasn’t been presented in just one complete package.
“I wasn’t raised in the south and didn’t come up as a youngster listening to blues, but I listened of course to what was on the radio at that time. I was born in Chicago, but raised in L.A. As a teenager over the years, I was hearing everything from Motown and James Brown to the Doors, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Peter, Paul and Mary.
“My wife Rosa and I like to think we came up in arguably one of the best, if not the best, musical ages because we had everything in those days. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were on the radio. You’d hear the Carpenters, and then you’d listen to The Supremes and Marvin Gaye or James Brown, and all that is a part of my musical identity – all those elements. I think this was the vehicle in which I was able to express those influences. I think this album is the best vehicle so far.”
Billy had aspirations to become a lawyer, but his career took a different direction. “I’m grateful I didn’t become a lawyer, because I’m not a big fan of a whole lot of writing, reading legal briefs and that kind of thing. But I’ve always been politically aware, and the fact that I did major in political science may have at least some connection as to my political leanings and observations, commentary.”
The Blues Is My Biography is a showcase for his observations of life opening with “Hole in Your Sole” featuring Bobby Rush. Shemekia Copeland shares vocals on “Begging for Change,” an indictment of contemporary conditions African-Americans face.
“Harmonica Man” and the title song “Blues Is my Biography” are autobiographical, and “Toxic Love” is anything but. He laughs. “It’s a funny thing. My wife Rosa and I wrote the lyrics to that together. It is funny because thankfully we don’t fall into that category, but we kind of laughed at ourselves. The first couple of lines came to me, and she added some lines and we had a song.”
Billy has recorded 15 albums with his band The Sons of Blues since 1977. This ensemble currently includes drummer Dionte “McMusik” Skinner, keyboardist Sumito Ariyoshi, aka Ariyo, bassist Ari Seder, and guitarist Giles Corey. Billy credits Willie Dixon with having a heavy influence on his sound. “I met him when I was still attending University of Illinois. That was in the mid-70s. I don’t know, ’73, ‘72, something like that.
“Willie was very influential in not only shaping my mindset and understanding the importance of the blues but in grooming me to be a skilled musician. I count him as one of the most influential people in my career because he ate, slept and breathed blues. When we traveled, he would always be extolling on how important the blues was and how it was the roots of American music. He was very very proud that it was his people that created that art form, and I think part of his passion inspired my drive to want to do blues in schools which I’ve done now since 1979.
“I started to doubt myself for a while, but Willie would always reach to me and say, ‘Now you’ll be all right. Just hang in there.’ I thought I was good, but when I got with Willie I found out I wasn’t as good as I thought I was, but I had to dig in and get better really fast.
“Sterling Plum is one of my best friends and mentors, and he was a professor at the University of Illinois when I was there. I was one of his first group of students. He published 17 books of blues poetry. He became a mentor as well as a close family friend. He’s past 90. He might be. He’s a very highly skilled poet, and he followed my whole career even before I was even in a band.
“He says when I came back from touring with Willie Dixon, he didn’t recognize me musically because I had improved so much under Willie Dixon’s tutelage and guidance. I had to dig in because I had to replace Carey Bell who was at the top of the game. I think there was a time when people said, ‘Where’s Carey Bell?’ And I was a little hesitant, you know?”
The Blues Is My Biography is the debut release on Rosa’s Lounge Records. It was produced by Larry Batiste and recorded at Infinite Studios in Alameda, California, and JoyRide Studio in Chicago, IL. Billy sings and plays harmonica throughout. “I played the grand opening of Rosa’s Lounge about 42 years ago. So, I’ve always had a good relationship with Toby and Mama Rosa who’s in Italy now. They formed the label right around the pandemic, but never got it active, and we just got to talking. You know, I still perform there.”
Billy has played harmonica on 300 albums by Vince Gill, Billy Gibbons, Stephen Stills, Koko Taylor, Lonnie Brooks, Lou Rawls, Johnny Winter, Taj Mahal, Son Seals, Mike Mills of REM, Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon, and scores of others. He’s a member of the Blues Hall of Fame and has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his 50-year career. The Blues Is My Biography is an apt title for this album.
