Chicago Blues Reunion Member Nick Gravenites

Born in Chicago, but not in 1941, as the first lines of his classic blues manifesto, “Born in Chicago,” punch out in the legendary Paul Butterfield Blues Band’s signature song. The original white blues man of the rock era, he was hanging out in south side blues clubs in 1957. Singer and songwriter of other classics such as “East West” (with Michael Bloomfield), “You’re Killing My Love’ (Oits Rush), “Groovin’ is Easy” (Electric Flag), “Work Me Lord” and “Buried Alive in the Blues” (Janis Joplin). Sang lead in Bloomfield’s ill-fated super band, Electric Flag, an American Music Band, which made it much-hyped debut at the 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival.

His Columbia Records debut of 1969, “My Labors,” exhibits a batch of his best songs (“Killing My Love,” “Holy Moly,” and “Gypsy Good Time”) and some of Bloomfield’s most lyrical playing. With Bloomfield, he produced Otis Rush’s “Mouring in the Morning” in Muscle Shoals in 1968, James Cotton, and assembled Janis Joplin’s solo debut, The Kozmic Blues Band. He produced the debut Quicksilver Messenger Service album and Brewer and Shipley’s “One Toke Over the Line.” He replaced Joplin for a short stint in Big Brother and the Holding Company. Has recorded seven solo albums including, “Animal Mind” and “Live in Athens” with Quicksilver guitar god John Cipollina. Gravenites is as deep and as personal a blues songwriter and performer as there is, shouting the blues with the best of them.