Luke Winslow-King Balzuweit (born March 12, 1983) is an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, and lyricist based out of alatayud, Aragón Spain, who plays vintage

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

music and is known for his

slide guitar Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos tha ...

work. He is a music traditionalist, playing a mixture of "people's music" and improvisational jazz based in collective improvisation, with influences from

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

, where he was based for 15 years, that includes

Delta blues Delta blues is one of the earliest-known styles of blues. It originated in the Mississippi Delta, and is regarded as a regional variant of country blues. Guitar and harmonica are its dominant instruments; slide guitar is a hallmark of the s ...

ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...

, pre-war American folk, with influences from diverse sources like

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as H ...

and

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8 September 1841 – 1 May 1904) was a Czechs, Czech composer. Dvořák frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravian traditional music, Moravia and his native Bohemia, following t ...

's '' String Quartet No. 12 (American String Quartet)'' and

Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspired ...

Early life and education

Winslow-King was born in

Cadillac The Cadillac Motor Car Division () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Its major markets are the United States, Canada, and China. Cadillac models are distributed i ...

, Michigan. His mother, Kathy Balzuweit (née King), is a painter and farmer and founded the soup kitchen called the Shepherd's Table in Cadillac. His father, Kurt Balzuweit was a musician and worked at a hospital. Winslow-King grew up in the

Baptist church Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

. On his maternal side, Winslow-King's family come from the Winslow descendants of the

Mayflower ''Mayflower'' was an English ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After a grueling 10 weeks at sea, ''Mayflower'', with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, r ...

. Winslow-King began playing guitar at a young age, and played the

French horn The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most ...

in middle school. He often played in church. Starting at the age of 14, he performed with his band, Luke Winslow-King Blues Band, and did a weekly gig at McGuire's Resort in Cadillac. In 2001, Winslow-King graduated from

Interlochen Center for the Arts Interlochen Center for the Arts is a non-profit corporation which operates arts education institutions and performance venues in northwest Michigan. It is situated on a campus in Interlochen, Michigan, roughly southwest of Traverse City. In ...

with a major in jazz guitar and where he also studied bebop jazz. In 2002, Winslow-King attended

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the training of teachers ...

Kalamazoo Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. At the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolit ...

, Michigan. In 2003, he began attending the

University of New Orleans The University of New Orleans (UNO) is a public research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a member of the University of Louisiana System and the Urban 13 association. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High rese ...

, where he was in the music theory and composition program. While there he also studied classical music. In the summer of 2003, Winslow-King spent the summer in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

after he won an ambassador scholarship to study Czech music at

Charles University ) , image_name = Carolinum_Logo.svg , image_size = 200px , established = , type = Public, Ancient , budget = 8.9 billion CZK , rector = Milena Králíčková , faculty = 4,057 , administrative_staff = 4,026 , students = 51,438 , undergr ...

in Prague.

Career

During the fall of 2002 when he was 19 years old, after dropping out of college after a semester at

, Winslow-King went on a cross-country tour with musicians Seth Bernard and Daniel Kahn, playing

songs in a show called "From California to the New York Island." While making a stop in New Orleans, the band's car and instruments were stolen after being parked on Ursulines Street in the

Tremé Tremé ( ) is a neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana. "Tremé" is often rendered as Treme, and the neighborhood is sometimes called by its more formal French name, Faubourg Tremé; it is listed in the New Orleans City Planning Districts as Trem ...

district. The theft meant Winslow-King had to spend time in New Orleans. During the weeks he was there, when they got the van back, but no instruments, Winslow-King fell in love with the city, and in 2001 decided to permanently relocate to New Orleans. He knew the soul singer

John Boutté John Boutté (born November 3, 1958) Boutté studied business at Xavier University of Louisiana where he was in ROTC. After he graduated, he was commissioned in the U.S. Army where he served for the next four years. When he returned, he started ...

of the band ¡Cubanismo! during their stop at

Mackinac Island Mackinac Island ( ; french: Île Mackinac; oj, Mishimikinaak ᒥᔑᒥᑭᓈᒃ; otw, Michilimackinac) is an island and resort area, covering in land area, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The name of the island in Odawa is Michilimackinac an ...

, and soon got a first-hand immersion into the local music scene, often

busking Street performance or busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuities. In many countries, the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. Street performance is pr ...

on the street and playing with various bands and musicians – like "Washboard Chaz" Leary,

George Porter Jr. George Porter Jr. (born December 26, 1947) is an American musician, best known as the bassist and singer of The Meters. Along with Art Neville, Porter formed the group in the mid 1960s and came to be recognized as one of the progenitors of fun ...

, Paul Sanchez's "Nine Lives" project, Roberto Luti, The Loose Marbles Jazz Band – in the city. He often played at local

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

clubs like Three Muses and DBA on

Frenchmen Street Frenchmen Street is in the 7th Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is best known for the three-block section in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood which since the 1980s has developed as the center of many popular live-music venues, including Cafe ...

in the 7th Ward. From 2004 to 2006, Winslow-King moved to New York City after 2005's

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

. He lived in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...

and worked as a music therapist for people with developmental disability (blind, mentally disabled) at the Institute of Applied Human Dynamics (IAHD) in

the Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

neighborhood of New York City. He also taught music at the Lavelle School for the Blind, also in the Bronx. While living in New York City, Winslow-King studied composition and worked with avant-garde composer "Blue" Gene Tyranny and played in Jack Hardy's well-known songwriter's circle. In 2006, Winslow-King co-founded the Michigan-based music label, Earthwork Music, with local Michigan musicians with whom he was friendly. Winslow-King wrote many of the songs, a mix of classical string quartet music and songwriting, with his ex-girlfriend, the musician Ji Un Choi. In 2007, Winslow-King moved back to

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

and released his self-titled debut via Earthwork on his own imprint, Fox on a Hill. His 2009 record, ''Old/New Baby,'' was recorded at

Preservation Hall Preservation Hall is a jazz venue in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. The building is associated with a house band, a record label, and a non-profit foundation. History of the jazz hall In the 1950s, art dealer Larry Borenstein f ...

and was distributed by

EMusic eMusic is an online music and audiobook store that operates by subscription. In exchange for a monthly subscription eMusic users can download a fixed number of MP3 tracks per month. eMusic was established in 1998, is headquartered in New York Ci ...

. '' American Songwriter'' named it one of 2009's Top 10 Record. Winslow-King performed as the Luke Winslow-King Trio with Jason Jurzak playing sousaphone and Richie Levinson playing washboard. In 2012, Winslow-King signed with Chicago-based independent record label, Bloodshot Records. At the time his band was a trio made up of Winslow-King on vocals and guitar, Esther Rose on vocals and washboard, and Cassidy Holden on upright base. In 2013, Winslow-King released his third record, ''The Coming Tide,'' on Bloodshot Records. In 2014, Winslow-King released ''Everlasting Arms'' on Bloodshot. In September 2016, Winslow-King released ''I’m Glad Trouble Don't Last Always'' on Bloodshot. The record was influenced by his divorce and his move back to northern Michigan in August 2016 to be with his father, who was diagnosed with cancer. The song "Esther Please" is about his ex-wife. Contributors to the record were Roberto Luti on guitar, Brennan Andes on electric bass, Mike Lynch on keyboards, Benji Bohannon on drums. Colin DuPuis ( The Black Keys) mixed the record, which was partially recorded live while on tour in

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...

, Italy. In 2018, Winslow-King released his sixth record, which is called ''Blue Mesa,'' on Bloodshot. ''Blue Mesa'' was recorded in Lari, Italy, in

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...

, and is a departure from his prior record, more upbeat and broader in diversity of sound and topics. Contributing to the recording were Ben Polcer on trumpet, Dominick Grillo on baritone sax, Matt Rhody on violin, and Chris Davis on drums. Tracks "Chicken Dinner" and "You Got Mine" were co-written with one of his New Orleans-based mentors, "Washboard" Lissa Driscoll, who died in 2017 of throat cancer. "Farewell Blues" is in homage to his father, who died in 2017. The record has received positive reviews. His current band is made up of Roberto Luti on slide guitar, Christian Carpenter on bass guitar, Mike Lynch (

Bob Seger Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and The Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s, break ...

Larry McCray Larry McCray (born April 5, 1960), is an American blues guitarist and singing, singer from Magnolia, Arkansas. Early life McCray, the second youngest of nine siblings, grew up living on a farm.

) on organ, and Chris Davis (King James and the Special Men) on drums. Winslow-King released his most recent album, ''If These Walls Could Talk'', in May 2022. Recorded in Memphis in 2020 and produced by Dominic Davis ( Jack White,

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...

North Mississippi Allstars North Mississippi Allstars is an American blues and southern rock band from Hernando, Mississippi, founded in 1996. The band is currently composed of brothers Luther Dickinson (guitar, lowebow, vocals) and Cody Dickinson (drums, keyboards, elect ...

), it featured guest performances from Davis, Roberto Luti, Reverend Charles Hodges (

Al Green Albert Leornes Greene (born April 13, 1946), better known as Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including " Take Me to the River", ...

), and The Sensational Barnes Brothers.

Other work

In 1993, Winslow-King and his sister were extras in the Bill Murray movie, ''

Groundhog Day Groundhog Day ( pdc, Grund'sau dåk, , , ; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a popular North American tradition observed in the United States and Canada on February 2. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from ...

.'' Winslow-King has worked as a composer for both theater and film. Winslow-King wrote the music that ran in the credits of the March 2014 extended pilot episode of '' NCIS: New Orleans.'' He also appeared in the episode. His song, "Swing That Thing," from 2014 his record ''Everlasting Arms'' was directed by the comedian

Kyle Newacheck Kyle Newacheck (born January 23, 1984) is an American television writer, director, producer and actor. He is one of the creators of the Comedy Central show ''Workaholics'', in which he also co-starred. He is a producer and director on the FX come ...

from '' Workaholics.'' It was filmed in New Orleans at the Balcony Room at Blue Nile.

Personal life

From 2013 to 2015, Winslow-King was married to singer-songwriter

Esther Rose Esther Elvina Rose (April 1, 1901 – July 16, 1990) was an American painter who worked in oils, collage, silkscreen and watercolors. She was best known for her impressionist renditions of California coastal images. Early life Esther Elvina ...

. They performed together over a period of six years. She also had a fashion line at the store Bon Castor in New Orleans and influenced the Winslow-Kings' stage outfits. The couple lived in Arabi,

St. Bernard Parish St. Bernard Parish (french: Paroisse de Saint-Bernard; es, Parroquia de San Bernardo) is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat and largest community is Chalmette. The parish was formed in 1807. St. Bernard Parish is part of ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

. Winslow-King was often known for wearing vintage clothes on stage. In November 2014, Winslow was arrested and incarcerated for three weeks in northern Michigan for the possession of a small amount of marijuana. He spent that time almost entirely in solitary confinement due to a serious nut allergy. In 2017, Winslow-King relocated to his home town of

, Michigan, after living in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

for over 15 years.

Discography

Records

* 2008: ''Luke Winslow King'' (Fox on a Hill Records) * 2009: ''Old/New Baby'' (Fox on a Hill Records) * 2013: ''The Coming Tide'' ( Bloodshot Records) – re-release * 2014: ''Everlasting Arms'' (Bloodshot Records) * 2016: ''I’m Glad Trouble Don't Last Always'' (Bloodshot Records) * 2018: ''Blue Mesa'' (Bloodshot Records) * 2022: ''If These Walls Could Talk'' (Ghost River Records)

7-inch

* 2011: ''You Hear Me Talkin' To Ya'' (Fox on a Hill, Earthwork Music)

Contributions

* 2008: ''Ghost Glacier'' by Breathe Owl Breathe (Earthwork Music) * 2012: ''Lucky Devil'' by Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (Continental Record Services) * 2013: ''Vari-colored Songs (A Tribute To Langston Hughes)'' by Leyla McCalla (Music Maker Relief Foundation)

Honors

* 2010: '' Offbeat Magazine's'' Best of the Beat Awards (nominee) for Best Emerging Artist * 2011: '' Offbeat Magazine's'' Best of the Beat Awards (nominee) Best Singer-Songwriter * 2011: '' American Songwriter's'' Writer of the Week * 2012: '' Offbeat Magazine's'' Best of the Beat Awards (nominee) for Best Country/Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album for ''The Coming Tide'' * 2013: '' Offbeat Magazine's'' Best of the Beat Awards (nominee) for Best Male Performer * 2014: '' Offbeat Magazine's'' Best of the Beat Awards (nominee) for Best Blues Performer * 2014:

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

Favorite Blues Albums for ''Everlasting Arms'' * 2015: '' Gambit Magazine's'' Best of New Orleans, Best Album (nominee) for ''Everlasting Arms'' * 2015: '' Gambit Magazine's'' Best of New Orleans, Best Blues Performer * 2016: '' Offbeat Magazine's'' Best of the Beat Awards (nominee) for Song of the Year for "No More Crying Today" * 2016: '' Offbeat Magazine's'' Best of the Beat Awards (nominee) for Best Blues Album for ''I’m Glad Trouble Don't Last Always''" * 2016: '' Offbeat Magazine's'' Best of the Beat Awards (nominee) for Best Blues Performer" * 2016:

Favorite Blues Albums and Favorite Folk and Americana Albums for ''I'm Glad Trouble Don't Last Always

References

External links

*
Luke Winslow-King
at Bloodshot Records * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Winslow-King, Luke 1983 births Living people People from Cadillac, Michigan Jazz musicians from New Orleans Bloodshot Records artists People from Arabi, Louisiana American blues singers American blues guitarists American jazz singers American jazz guitarists Interlochen Center for the Arts alumni Jazz musicians from Michigan 21st-century American singers 21st-century American guitarists Singer-songwriters from Michigan Singer-songwriters from Louisiana