Billy Branch

Billy Branch (born William Earl Branch, October 3, 1951, Great Lakes, Illinois, United States) is an American blues harmonica player and singer of Chicago blues and harmonica blues.

Career

Billy Branch is a three-time Grammy nominee, a retired two-term governor for the Chicago Grammy Chapter, an Emmy Award winner, and a winner of the Addy Award. In addition, Branch has received numerous humanitarian and music awards.

Branch was born in Great Lakes, Chicago, Illinois, although his family moved to Los Angeles when he was five years old. In 1969 he moved to Chicago where he attended and graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Branch attended the first Chicago Blues Fest, produced by Willie Dixon, in 1969. Six years later, after graduating from the University of Illinois, he was touring with the band led by Willie Dixon called the Chicago Blues All-Stars. He soon took the place of the harmonica player Carey Bell, when Carey left the All Stars to form his own band.

In the 1970s, Branch founded his own group, The Sons of Blues, along with Lurrie Bell on guitar and Freddie Dixon on bass guitar. They are the sons of Carey Bell and Willie Dixon respectively, and they recorded for Alligator Records and with a change in personnel for Red Beans Records. The new band consisted of Carlos Johnson on guitar and J. W. Williams on vocals and bass guitar. He has also recorded for Verve Records and Evidence Records.