A cutting edge blues singer, songwriter and bottleneck slide guitarist; Catfish Keith has established himself as one of the most exciting country blues performers of our time.
Catfish's innovative style of foot-stomping, deep delta blues and American roots music has spellbound audiences the world over. A two-time award nominee for best acoustic blues album, Catfish has eleven number one independent radio chart-topping albums to his credit and packs houses all over the world with his dynamic stage show.
Catfish Keith was born in East Chicago, Indiana in 1962. He first heard blues as a child while living in a working-class, steel mill town. When he picked up the guitar as a teenager he was inspired to pursue the deep delta blues after being converted by Son House. Following high school in Davenport, Iowa; Catfish hit the road, embarking on a lifelong quest as a solo performer of American roots music.
His travels took him to the Caribbean, where in the Virgin Islands he crewed briefly on a sailboat, soaking up a wealth of island sounds. Rhythms of jazz, calypso, reggae and the music of Joseph Spence gave Catfish inspiration to reach new musical heights. Though he grew up on the Mississippi River, Catfish earned his name from a West Indian lobster diving partner who, after seeing him swim, dubbed him ‘Catfish-Swimmin' Around’ and ‘Catfish-Steel-Guitar-Man’.
In 1984, at age 22, Catfish recorded his first album Catfish Blues. The all-solo debut established him as a new force in acoustic blues, reaching Number One on independent worldwide radio charts. This enabled Catfish to play and tour continually, learning directly from legends such as Johnny Shines, Robert Cray, John Lee Hooker, Jesse Mae Hemphill and Henry Townsend.
Catfish still constantly tours the world, is a major endorser for National Reso-Phonic Guitars, and his music plays on top-rated TV shows in the US and abroad. He has also become a respected educator offering guitar workshops, master classes and blues in schools throughout the world. -- www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk
