Wednesday, September 12, 2012

RIP: Michael Burks

I have been listening to music podcasts for over 7 years, ever since I bought my first iPod Mini. One of my favorites is the Roadhouse podcast, which is published weekly. The host, Tony Steidler, is very passionate about the Blues genre, and has managed to secure very favorable terms with several Indie record labels, including Alligator Records, to play their catalogs.

Four years ago, I was listening to a show, and a singer/guitarist from Arkansas, really caught my ear. I found out his name was Michael Burks. I immediately went out and bought several of his albums, and listen to them often.

Fast forward to last night, I'm listening to the Roadhouse again, and immediately recognize that one of the songs is Michael. During the segue, Tony mentions that Michael passed away at the age of 54, on May 6th of this year. I cursed the fact that I never got to see him play live.

All I can say is, If you like SRV, Robert Cray, or Buddy Guy, then you will enjoy Michael's music, too. Even though this news is 4 months late, I couldn't let it pass without a mention.