finetune artist: Roy Gaines

b. 12 August 1934, Houston, Texas, USA. The brother of Grady Gaines, Roy became interested in the electric guitar at an early age and began fraternizing with other local young blues guitarists such as Clarence Hollimon and Johnny Copeland. Gaines made his debut with an obscure release on the Miami-based Chart label before coming to the attention of local Houston bandleader and head of Duke Records' house band, Bill Harvey. Gaines was featured with Harvey's band on various releases by Big Mama Thornton and Bobby Bland in 1955 for the Duke and Peacock labels, before being enticed away by an impressed Chuck Willis. After moving to New York City, Gaines recorded with Willis for Atlantic Records as well as signing to RCA-Victor's Groove subsidiary under his own name. This resulted in two releases in 1956. The following year he signed to DeLuxe, returned to Victor in 1958 and experienced a lean decade in the 60s with only two releases on the small Del-Fi and Uni labels. In the 70s, Gaines was again in demand, both for public appearances and as guitarist with the celebrated Crusaders. In 1981, Red Lightnin Records interrupted his busy touring schedule and recorded a fine album, Gainelining, which underlined Gaines' four decades of musical influence. Solo outings in subsequent decades included an excellent tribute to one of his heroes, T-Bone Walker.

Listen to Roy Gaines at Finetune.

(1999) I Got The T-Bone Walker Blues