84 year-old (William) Pinetop Perkins began his professional career in Mississippi Delta jukes during the late 1920s, and -- with Sonny Boy Williamson -- was a regular on the King Biscuit flour hour radio show. Best-known for his stint as Muddy Waters' pianist (where he replaced Otis Spann), he left him in 1980, joined the Legendary Blues Band, and went on to a career of his own.

Perkins' technique is fairly simple, the left-hand does simple boogie stuff, but it's a good change of pace from
the pyrotechnic Chicago-style electric blues. Says the
Chicago Reader's David Whiteis, "If you think the blues has run out of surprises, Perkins is the man to see."

Performance Dates: June 25, 2000