Blues Calling

Barrelhouse Chuck is the only Chicago blues pianist to have studied under Sunnyland Slim, Pinetop Perkins, Detroit Junior and Little Brother Montgomery. Barrelhouse Chuck draws on this distinguished lineage to create a blues, boogie-woogie and barrelhouse piano style that places him at the forefront of this celebrated tradition. Chuck spent the next 16 years studying with the living legend, who Chuck called 'the great-granddaddy of all the blues piano players.' Through Sunnyland he met all the great blues musicians in Chicago, and often ended up playing with and hanging out with them. People like S.P. Leary, Smokey Smothers, Erwin Helfer and Little Brother Montgomery took Chuck under their wings, invited him into their homes and made him feel a part of their families. Chuck formed a special bond with piano legend Little Brother Montgomery with whom he honed his piano stylings during a long internship. Chuck often lived with Little Brother spending many hours with him and Sunnyland Slim playing piano and hanging out. Other great piano players like Tollie & Joe Montgomery, Jay McShann and Lafayette Leake would come by to visit L.B. and play piano.

Chuck was instrumental in arranging honorariums, driving him to jobs (and to the hospital when his health began failing) and helping him out in every way he could. Little Brother returned this favor by taking Chuck under his wing and giving him a musical education no other man has ever received. When Brother passed away Chuck lost a mentor and a true friend, but Chuck keeps his music alive when ever he plays. The last 30 years Chuck developed his immense mastery of blues piano and went on to perform or record with most of the notable blues musicians-people like Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Kim Wilson, Hubert Sumlin, Otis Rush, Louis Myers Buddy Guy, among many others. His recording credits reads like a 'who's who' of modern day Chicago blues. Blues calling keeps both their spirit and music alive, passing it along where ever Barrelhouse Chuck plays.