Elvin Bishop

  • Long Beach, CA
    hometown
  • Rock
    genre
  • 1963
    started
  • Bio
    full story
  • Share
  • Similar
Close

About Elvin Bishop


A veteran guitarist who fused the blues with gospel, R&B, and country traditions, Elvin Bishop was born in Glendale, CA, on October 21, 1942. He grew up on a farm in Iowa with no electricity or running water, and eventually moved to Oklahoma with his family when he was ten. Raised in an all-White community, his only exposure to African-American traditions was the radio, which introduced him to the sounds of blues stations in Shreveport, LA. The piercing sound of Jimmy Reed's harmonica won his attention; Bishop would later liken it to a crossword puzzle that he had to figure out. What was this music? Who made it? What was it all about? Inspired, he began to put the pieces together.

However, it was not until he won a National Merit Scholarship to the University of Chicago in 1959 that Bishop found the real answers to his questions. He found himself in the middle of the Chicago blues scene and immersed himself in the genre. After two years of college, Bishop dropped out and pursued music full time, eventually meeting Howlin' Wolf's guitarist Smokey Smothers and learning the basics of blues guitar from him. In the early '60s, Bishop teamed up with Paul Butterfield helped form the core of the Butterfield Blues Band. Although he had only played guitar for a few years, he practiced frequently and played with Butterfield in just about every place possible, including campuses, houses, parks, and -- in the venue that helped launch the band -- Big John's on Chicago's North Side. Bishop also helped shape the sound of several Butterfield albums, including The Pigboy Crabshaw, whose title refers to Bishop's countrified persona.

In 1968, Elvin Bishop left Butterfield's band following the release of In My Own Dream. He launched a solo career and relocated to the San Francisco area, where he made frequent appearances at the Filmore with artists like Eric Clapton, B. B. King, Jimi Hendrix, and the Allman Brothers Band. Bishop recorded for four albums for Epic Records and later signed with Capricorn in 1974. His recording of "Traveling Shoes" (from the album Let It Flow) made a dent on the charts, but the single "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" (from Struttin' My Stuff) made a bigger splash in 1976 when it peaked at number 3 on the Billboard charts. Over the next few years, the Elvin Bishop Group dissolved. He released his album Best Of in 1979 and lay low for several years, eventually resurfacing when he signed with the Alligator label in 1988.

Bishop then released Big Fun in 1988 and Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down in 1991, both of which were well received. He also participated in Alligator's 1992 20th Anniversary cross-country tour; three years later, he toured with veteran bluesman B.B. King and released an album entitled Ace in the Hole. The Skin I'm In followed in 1998, and 2000's That's My Partner saw him teaming up with Smokey Smothers, the same musician who had originally taught him guitar. After a five-year hiatus, Bishop released Gettin' My Groove Back in 2005 via Blind Pig Records; he then jumped to the Delta Groove Music label for 2008's The Blues Rolls On, which featured guest spots by B.B. King, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, and others. ~ Michael Erlewine, Rovi

Scroll up Scroll down

Photos

From position 0, showing 4 items, asking 10
See All
  • Elvin Bishop
    Getty Images
  • Elvin Bishop
    Getty Images
  • Elvin Bishop
    Getty Images
  • Capricorn
    Elvin Bishop
    Capricorn

News

From position 0, showing 3 items, asking 10
See All
  • Elvin Bishop
    King, Trucks Guest On New Elvin Bishop Album
    www.billboard.com
    Elvin Bishop gets a hand from B.B. King, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, James Cotton, George Thorogood, Kim Wilson and Tommy Castro on his new album, "T...
    Read More
  • Elvin Bishop
    Elvin Bishop, Tim Reynolds and Mark Karan to Support The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll Blues Band
    www.jambands.com
    Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll Blues Band is a collective of influential artists currently on the road together: Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Sugar B...
    Read More
  • Elvin Bishop
    JazzFest Update: Lionel Richie, The Black Crowes and Elvin Bishop Perform Despite Rainy Conditions
    www.jambands.com
    funk around 12: 15 AM and welcomed numerous guests to the stage, including saxophonist Skerik and Cyril Neville of the Neville Brothers. Ivan Neville ...
    Read More

Tour Dates

From position 0, showing 7 items, asking 50
See All
  • Aug 28 Wednesday
    Apple Valley, MN, US Weesner Amphitheater, Minnesota Zoo
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 29 Thursday
    Milwaukee, WI, US Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest Grounds)
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 29 Thursday
    Milwaukee, WI, US Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest Grounds)
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 30 Friday
    Milwaukee, WI, US Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest Grounds)
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 30 Friday
    Evanston, IL, US S.P.A.C.E.
    Buy Ticket
  • Sep 6 Friday
    Auburn Hills, MI, US Callahan's Music Hall
    Buy Ticket
  • Mar 2 Sunday
    Thousand Oaks, CA, US Fred Kavli Theatre for the Performing Arts, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
    Buy Ticket

Discography

From position 0, showing 10 items, asking 10
See All
Next Page
  • She Puts Me In the Mood (2012)
    Elvin Bishop
    She Puts Me In the Mood (2012)
    Music Avenue
  • Raisin' Hell Revue: Live on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise (2011)
    Elvin Bishop
    Raisin' Hell Revue: Live on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise (2011)
    Delta Groove Music
  • Red Dog Speaks (2010)
    Elvin Bishop
    Red Dog Speaks (2010)
    Delta Grooves
  • The Blues Rolls On (2008)
    Elvin Bishop
    The Blues Rolls On (2008)
    Delta Groove Productions
  • Booty Bumpin': Recorded Live (2007)
    Elvin Bishop
    Booty Bumpin': Recorded Live (2007)
    Blind Pig
  • Gettin' My Groove Back (2005)
    Elvin Bishop
    Gettin' My Groove Back (2005)
    Blind Pig
  • Party Till the Cows Come Home (2004)
    Elvin Bishop
    Party Till the Cows Come Home (2004)
    Acadia
  • King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents in Concert (2001)
    Elvin Bishop
    King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents in Concert (2001)
    King Biscuit Entertainment
  • That's My Partner! (2000)
    Elvin Bishop
    That's My Partner! (2000)
    Alligator Records
  • The Skin I'm In (1998)
    Elvin Bishop
    The Skin I'm In (1998)
    Alligator Records
Are You Elvin Bishop? Claim this page | Learn more about Artists.MTV | FAQ for Artists
Elvin Bishop Bio | Elvin Bishop Tour Dates | Elvin Bishop Discography |
MTV | MTV Jobs | Privacy Policy | User Content Agreement | Copyright | Artist Index | Social Projects Agreements | Ad Choices |
Portions of this page powered by
This site contains content from artists, fans, and writers from around the internet in it's natural form. Such content is not representative of Viacom Media Networks.

©2012 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. MTV and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

  • Explore
    • Popular
    • Emerging
    • Genres
      • Rock
      • Hip Hop
      • Indie
      • Electronic/EDM
      • Country
      • Pop
    • Collections
    • Artist To Watch
  • Search
  • Are you an artist?
    • Claim Your Page
    • Learn More
    • FAQ
    • Opportunities