Carl Weathersby
East Chicago, Indiana, United States
Music
Press
You’ll never catch Carl Weathersby
referring to one of his guitars by
name. That’s too cutesy for him. Guitars
are objects, like spoons or chairs.
You wouldn’t name your spoon, would
you? And you’ll never hear Weathersby
revelling in the fact that he gets to play
blues for a living.
“I don’t play. I work,” he said in a
recent interview from his East Chicago,
Indiana home. “Playing is what kids do.
What I do up there – that’s work.”
- WhatzUp Magazine - By Deborah Kennedy
Carl Weathersby sure has a great guitar sound - traditional sounding with some strong Albert King influences. He has that fat, slightly fuzzed sound coming from the guitar and amp, that old time 1950's Chicago sound that is sweet to listen to. He uses a vintage crate 12 amp and said "I put those little small magnets in it so it distorts the sound a little bit. It sounds like what you used to get in the late 50's and early 60's, its a blues sound from the old days." That unique sound set the stage for what turned out to be one of the best shows I have seen so far this year. From down and dirty traditional blues to scintillating Albert King influenced chops this guy can play one mean guitar. His music is direct, biting and impassioned - Ray Stiles
It was January, 1997 when Carl Weathersby picked up his guitar and left Billy Branch's Sons of Blues. Weathersby was tired of getting second billing to Branch while feeling that he was working harder onstage than his boss.
Since that time, Weathersby has seen the release of his second solo album on the Evidence Records label, entitled "Looking Out My Window," and he's preparing to enter the studio in May to record a third disc for Evidence.
Weathersby's tour schedule these days is almost full. He says he's gigging about five days a week in the eastern half of the U.S.
While babysitting his young nephew at his East Chicago, Ind. home on the afternoon of April 1, 1998, the kind, yet outspoken Weathersby took time to talk to Blues/Soul Scene about his background, history with SOBs and his new solo career. - by Steven Sharp
In control and on top of his game, Carl Weathersby couldn't have the blues any other way.
For a man who was once Albert King's rhythm guitarist from 1979 to 1982, Weathersby was training in good company since he first picked up a guitar.
A profound showman, the guitarist/songwriter has taken control of a solo career that began in 1996, which saw him immediately launch his debut CD Don't Lay Your Blues On Me to the top, nominating him for a W.C. Handy Blues Album of the Year Award (the highest achievement in blues music).
Trekking from his Chicago based home up to The Palace in Essexville on Saturday, February18, Weathersby's return to the area comes after two successful events over the past year: A sold out show last winter at the Frankenmuth Brewery and a standout performance at Frankenmuth's Blues Bash on the Cass.
- By Scott Baker
Discography
I'm Still Standing Here
Carl Weathersby (vocals, guitar); Leon Smith (percussion); Steve McCray (background vocals). Recorded at The Butcher Shop in Ubly, Michigan
Magnolia 2009
Hold On
Carl Weathersby
It had been five years since Carl's last disc (the great soulful blues CD "Come To Papa" on Evidence Records) and I was starting to wonder what was up with him. Then last year he nearly stole the show from Charles Wilson with his guitar virtuosity on Wilson's Delmark release "If Heartaches Were Nickels". Well, now Carl says "I'm Back Again" on the opener for the TC Davis and Richard Waters-produced "Hold On". It's a vintage phat Albert King-like shuffle blues with sharp, muscular axework by Weathersby. Up next is the New Orleans-flavored groover "Leave Me Alone", one of two excellent songs from fellow bluesman Burton Gaar. The cut features some greasy organ courtesy of Johnny Neel. Even better is Gaar's second contribution, the slow, soul ballad "Willingly". Weathersby had recorded the John Hiatt composition, "Feels Like Rain", before but this time he really makes it his own his own- and that's high praise considering Buddy Guy also did a fine version of this tune. Weathersby himself provided the Southern Soul/blues gems "Hold On", "My Baby" and the loose instrumental "Freedom". Welcome back Carl. -
Dylann DeAnna www.bluescritic.com
Lousiana Red Hot 2005
In The House: Live At Lucerne
Vol. 5
Carl Weathersby
Born in 1953, singer and guitarist Carl has followed the familiar Mississippi to Chicago trail, and then on to a Swiss festival stage for this almost one hour long CD. Having worked with the Sons Of Blues for 14 years before stepping out as an artist in his own right eight years ago, and with four albums for the American label Evidence (plus a 'Best of ...') and plenty of experience as a backing musician, Carl is obviously no novice.
The benefits of such an impressive Curriculum Vitae come through loud and clear on this set which runs the whole range from straight ahead Windy City shuffles to the Hendrix inspired closer. For the most part though, Carl exhibits a preference for working in the Stax soul inflected blues field, with Albert King a particularly noticeable influence both vocally and instrumentally (three numbers associated with Albert are included here). The excellent singer Chi-Town singer Otis Clay guests on one number, the ever impressive Windy City harmonica ace Billy Branch on two but this is Carls show and he and his cooking three piece band leave no one in any doubt that, here at least, there were indeed some real blues sounds in the house. Recommended...
Norman Darwen Blues Arts Studio, Austria
CrossCut (Germany) 2004
Best of Carl Weathersby
Carl Weathersby
No one out there today fires up the blues with more soul than Carl Weathersby. If you haven't sampled the fare of this fine Jackson, Mississippi bluesman, this new CD offers fourteen (count 'em) of the artist's finest tracks from his four previous Evidence releases. Robert Johnson's classic "Hellhound On My Trail" is delivered by Weathersby with true blue finesse, and he eerily reprises the original in a spooky new shade of blue. Carl Weathersby makes every note he sings and play count, and nothing is left to waste. Mighty fine blues, ladies and gentlemen! -
Ellis Kell, Argus/Dispatch blues columnist
Evidence 2003
Come To Papa
Carl Weathersby
The prolific guitarist/vocalist continues his ways with Come to Papa , his fourth album in as many years. The spirit of Albert King and his Gibson Flying Vee lives on in Weathersbys guitar work, with its slippery, bent-to-oblivion vibrato riffs, stinging high notes and occasional bassy runs. Never one to allow himself to be restricted by the I-IV-V blues format, Weathersby infuses this disc with smooth, commercial R&B. "Help Me Somebody" reprises the slick soul of the 70s, and "Floodin in California" is a four-on-the-floor dance cut. But blues purists may rejoice in the absence of the token hard-rock tune that was, until now, a part of every Weathersby recording. Come to Papa is a very good record, proof that all that roadwork pays off. Bob Cianci, Blues Access
Evidence 2000
Restless Feeling
Carl Weathersby
Guitarist and singer Carl Weathersby has garnered accolades from the blues world ever since his 1996 debut, and Restless Feeling deserves praise no less than his previous two albums. With a crunchy, punchy Chicago style layered with soul, Restless Feeling is aptly titled, full of mood and restless energy. Things kick off with the up-tempo "Matchbox Holds My Clothes," and swerve from funkified rock ("A Real Mutha Fuh Ya") to slow sensuality (title track) to a not-quite-smooth soul ("Everything I Do") to a nice, easy slow blues ("Glory Be"). The closing song, "She's Gone," is exactly what you'd expect to hear at the end of a set at your favorite blues bar, and the album is peppered with clean, energetic guitar-picking throu
Photos
Bio
Carl Weathersby?
Carl Weathersby was born in 1953, in Jackson, Mississippi and moved to East Chicago, Indiana with his family when he was eight. When he started playing guitar as a teen he said his father always had musician friends stopping by the house. One that used to come by often was this big guy that Carl only knew as Albert, the mechanic. Albert happened to be watching the young Weathersby practicing some Albert King songs on guitar one day. Carl said he had been practicing this one song called 'Cross Cut Saw,' playing it over and over until he said, 'I think I got it. So I started playing it and this guy said, 'man, that ain't the way that song goes, that ain't the way I played it.' It turned out to be Albert King who proceeded to show an amazed Weathersby just how it was supposed to be played. King offered some welcome encouragement to Carl and took a liking to the young lad.
After his tour of duty in Viet Nam, Carl found employment as a steel mill worker, as a prison guard and even a police officer. Weathersby was Albert King's rhythm guitarist between 1979 and 1982, and then spent some 15 years with Billy Branch's Sons of Blues as lead guitarist before striking out on his own. His debut solo album on Evidence Records, 'Don't Lay Your Blues On Me', was nominated for the W.C. Handy 'Blues Album of the Year' award. His latest release 'Hold On' is available online at Cdbaby.com.
Mixing Southern charm, soulful vocals, and fierce guitar-playing, Carl plays the blues, from down-and-dirty to scintillating Albert King influenced chops. This is one powerful blues performer that will leave you amazed and thoroughly entertained.
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