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A living legend of Houston's vital and historic Blues scene of the 40's and 50's, Earl has played music continuously all of his life. His contemporaries often looked to him for "playing tips" and, over the years, he has generously mentored many young players who have gone on to form their own successful careers.

Earl was born on January 13, 1930 in Lafayette, LA. His family moved near the small town of New Waverly, Texas, which he calls home, when he was 12 yrs old. His father's side had roots in nearby Louisiana, which can be heard in Earl's unique Gulf Coast sound. The youngest of a large family, Earl’s mother and father both sang and played the piano and all 10 children played the piano and home-made instruments. By the time he was 10, Earl was playing organ at the town’s Baptist church.

At the age of 18, Earl moved to Houston and formed his first band The Ragmops with three of his brothers, playing mainly Country and Western music at popular clubs in the Conroe area. He lived in Houston’s Fifth Ward, home to many great Houston Blues artists. Among them, Earl was a neighbor, friend and sittin’-n-playin’ buddy of Sam “Lighntin’” Hopkins. Around this time, he started playing the Blues in Clarence Gatemouth Brown's band.

Earl then became a fixture at Shady's Playhouse, a hoppin' juke joint in the Third Ward that also featured piano players Amos Milburn, Lonnie Lyons, Elmore Nixon and Teddy Reynolds.

After Shady's, Earl headed up the house band at the Hamilton Inn for many years, where he served as band leader and piano front man for Houston bluesmen like Goree Carter and Grady Gaines, and for all the big names that came traveling through town - Big Joe Turner, Roy Brown, Nappy Brown, R&B sensation Jerry Butler and others. Earl also played in the house band at the Club Matinee’s famed monthly talent shows which attracted such young artists as Little Richard and the Tempo Toppers and Bobby "Blue" Bland.

Earl then played with Albert Collins at Walter’s Lounge and gigged with him for the next 5-6 years. In the mid-50's, he played for a time with Little Joe Washington in El Paso, Texas, and then back in Houston with Hop Wilson, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Lester Williams, Johnny Clyde Copeland, T-Bone Walker and, for many years, with Percy Mayfield.

And then there were the Ladies - among them, Earl played with Big Mama Thornton, Esther Phillips, Luvenia Lewis, Lavelle White and Trudy Lynn.

In 1955, Earl was invited to record his own music with Lucian Davis on Sarg Records (Willie Nelson and Doug Sahm’s first label). There were only two Black artists on that label – Earl and saxophonist O.S. Grant. He also recorded with Ivory Records (Ivory Lee Semien’s historic label). Earl wrote and recorded what today are considered classic Blues tunes: “Wrong Doin’ Woman”, “Don’t Make Me Late Baby”, “Nobody’s Blues”, “Just You and I”, “Petite Baby” and more.

In the 60's and 70's, Earl and Lightnin' Hopkins were invited to play in the area as a duo - with Earl playing bass with his thumb on the organ and Lightin' keepin' time on a milk crate. He also played accordion in Clifton Chenier's band.

Starting in the 60's, Earl played in Johnny Clyde Copeland's band and, later, teamed up with the great Joe “Guitar” Hughes. Earl and Joe were known for competitively “trading fours” – an on-stage aggressive musical banter that drove audiences wild. They played together until Hughes’ early and unexpected death in 2003. A couple of years later, Earl sprang back forming his own band featuring the same players he has to this day:

Master Blues guitarist I.J. Gosey, “one of Houston’s premiere bluesmen,” comes with his own Blues pedigree. I.J. grew up alongside many Blues masters in the Fifth Ward and, as session player for Duke-Peacock Records in the 50's and 60's, he recorded with T. Bone Walker, Junior Parker, Johnny Taylor, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Buddy Ace, Joe Hinton, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, and just about everyone that came out of the famed label. (Read more about I.J. in “Tangled Up In Blues” by John Nova Lomax, Houston Press, 2001.)

Soulful bassist Fred Arceneaux (Joe "Guitar" Hughes, Johnny Clyde Copeland, Clarence Green, Texas Johnny Brown) has played with Earl since they were both in Joe "Guitar" Hughes' band. And the uniquely talented Jackie Gray (Clarence Green, Texas Johnny Brown, and numerous Houston Blues notables) is one of Houston's most gifted drummers.

Houston guitarist John Richardson (Diunna Greenleaf, 2005 Albert King award), bassist Larry Evans (a special family member to Earl, Larry plays with Texas Johnny Brown) and drummer Jimmy Rose (formerly Dr. John and Asleep at the Wheel) also occasionally play in the band.

For over 60 years, Earl has played both out front with his own band and as a sideman with some of the best. These days, he tours on occasion and plays regularly close to home. His favorite gigs are at the Houston blues joint The Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club.

Video filmed and edited by Debra Peters (debrapetersmusic.com)
See more of Debra's videos @ http://www.youtube.com/DebraPeters

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