Biography

b. 8 February 1928, Mississippi, USA. Inspired by John Lee ‘Sonny Boy’ Williamson and self-taught, Burns was a stalwart of the immediate post-war Detroit blues scene, being first recorded in 1948 by Bernie Bessman. The latter was responsible for giving John Lee Hooker his break and used Burns as a session musician for Hooker in 1949. This session produced four tracks, including the fast shuffle ‘Burnin’ Hell’, which was notable for Burns’ powerful harmonica playing. Throughout the 50s and 60s he periodically recorded for Joe Van Battle, who either released the material on his own JVB and Von labels or else sold the masters to concerns such as Gotham and Checker. Rarely straying from his home state of Michigan, Burns briefly visited Europe in 1972 under the billing Eddie ‘Guitar’ Burns, recording an album in London for Action. He returned three years later for a more intensive tour under the ‘American Blues Legends ’75’ banner. Since then Eddie Burns has stayed mostly in Detroit, working day-jobs, playing clubs in the evenings and occasionally appearing at festivals. He guested on Detroit Junior’s Take Out The Time in 1998.