Tag Archive for 'warrington'

Sherman Robertson

The Marine Hall, Fleetwood -Thursday October 8th

Warrington Pyramid Parr Hall – Saturday Oct 10th

On Thursday October 8th American bluesman Sherman Robertson will be playing at The Marine Hall, Fleetwood supported by the Mark Thornley Band. The show is presented by Alan Pearson’s towerblues.

Doors open 8.00. Tickets are £15 on sale from the box office on 01253 771141 or online at www.marinehall.co.uk.

Sherman then plays at Warrington Pyramid and Parr Hall on the Saturday night – I don’t know the details of the prices but tickets and information can be obtained from the box office 01925 442345 or can be o0btained online at www.pyramidparrhall.co.uk

Sherman Robertson is already considered a young master of zydeco, hard-swinging Texas electric blues, R&B and swampy Louisiana blues. Robertson often surprises audiences with his ability to play R&B, zydeco and blues with a rock edge. “I use that driving, road-cooking type zydeco groove, and put blues on top of it,” says Robertson. It’s basically rhythm and feel.” In June 2000, Robertson played at the Pioneer Valley Blues Festival in Massachusetts. Alligator president, Bruce Iglauer, was in the crowd. “He was always good,” he says, “but when I saw him in June he was on fire. He ruled the stage, had the audience in the palm of his hand, and his just plain physical showmanship reminded me of Albert Collins. As Soon as he walked of the stage I started talking about signing him. He’s got that Texas energy, great guitar chops, and is a wonderful, soulful singer.”

Sherman was born in Beaux Bridge, Louisiana and raised in Houston, Texas. Robertson quickly earned a local reputation as a very good guitarist. While still in high school Robertson was recruited by his music teacher, Conrad Johnson, to play in his popular group, Connie’s Combo (and otherwise adult band). As a teenager in the late 1960’s, he spent six weeks on the road as lead guitarist with blues superstar Bobby “Blue” Bland and also backed Junior Parker. That gave Sherman the incentive to form his own band, Sherman Robertson and the Crosstown Blues Band with whom he recorded two albums on the Lunar II label. During the 1970’s, Robertson was content playing weekends while raising a family and holding down a “regular” job until Clifton Chenier, ” the King Of Zydeco,” asked him to do some dates with his band. Those few dates turned into 5 years, as Robertson toured Europe and U.S. with Chenier. He then joined Terrance Simien’s hot, then young zydeco band, briefly playing with Rockin’ Dopsie, Johnny Clyde Copeland and several other well-known artists.