Howard & the White Boys

Fast Facts

Location: Chicagoland

get a quote

Bio

"A crack band with a sure-footed Chicago blues sound, all turned up and dialed in for maximum effect."
-Blues Revue

"A relentless sound reminiscent of a howl from the guts."
-The Riverfront Times (St. Louis)

In their hometown of Chicago, a city steeped in blues history, Howard & the White Boys have established a reputation as one of the city's favorite attractions. Regular appearances at Buddy Guy's Legends has afforded them an opportunity to display their wares before locals and out-of-towners who come to Legends to hear the best the city has to offer in blues entertainment. Indeed, Buddy Guy has been their unofficial mentor and his support for the band has been instrumental in exposing them to a wider audience. In 1995, he took them on a tour of ten midwestern cities as his opening act, and he often jumps onstage to jam with them when they appear at Legends. He also gave them the ultimate endorsement by making a rare guest appearance on their 1999 release The Big $core. He plays some scorching guitar and sings a duet with Howard on a remake of the Sam & Dave classic "I ThankYou."

The members of Howard & the White Boys first met at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb where they were all students pursuing different academic disciplines. They started jamming together in 1988 just for fun, but their fast-growing popularity soon convinced them they could make a career of it. After only a few months, they got their first big break by opening for B.B. King. After their opening set, King took the time to pass on some words of encouragement to the fledgling group - a gesture that made a lasting impression. The band soon made the move to Chicago and began performing with the biggest names in blues: Koko Taylor, Albert King, Junior Wells, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison, Bo Diddley, and Chuck Berry.