Biography
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Born
29 October 1974 (age 49)
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Born In
Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, United States
Blues guitar phenom Eric Gales was born and raised in Memphis, learning to play at age four from older brothers Eugene and Manuel in imitation of their upside-down, left-handed style (a tradition actually passed down from their grandfather, Dempsey Garrett Sr., who was known to jam with the likes of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf). Winning his first blues contest at 11, four years later Eric signed to Elektra to issue his 1991 debut LP, recorded with Eugene on bass; Picture of a Thousand Faces followed in 1993. Manuel (who previously performed under the alias Little Jimmy King) reunited with his siblings for 1995's Left Hand Band, credited to the Gales Brothers.
A newly matured Gales returned in spring 2001 to release his debut for MCA, That's What I Am. Often billed as the second coming of Jimi Hendrix, Gales, an adequate singer at best but a dynamite guitarist, suffered for the comparison. With Gales always influenced by Hendrix and the power trio format, his next albums, 2006's Crystal Vision and 2007's Psychedelic Underground, both released by Blues Bureau Records, seemed like facsimile Hendrix albums, right down to the album art. His next two releases from Blues Bureau, 2008's The Story of My Life and 2009's Layin' Down the Blues, found the Hendrix influence muted somewhat, but Gales, a breathtaking guitarist at times, still seemed to be looking for a way out of the Hendrix shadow and into his own voice. Gales returned in 2010 with Relentless, a collection of 13 originals, and followed it with the passionate Transformation a year later in 2011.
Eric Gales is a very talented Blues-Rock guitarist and vocalist from Memphis, Tennessee, USA. His music is a fusion of Hard-Rock, Blues and Funk. Eric Gales has released nine studio albums so far, his latest being "Relentless".
Discography
2011 Transformation
2010 Relentless
2009 Layin' Down the Blues (compilation)
2008 The Story of My Life
2007 Psychedelic Underground
2006 Crystal Vision
2001 That's What I Am
1995 Left Hand Brand
1993 Picture of a Thousand Faces
1993 Eric Gales
1991 The Eric Gales Band
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