Darrell Nulisch
Encyclopedia
Darrell Nulisch is an American
electric blues
singer and harmonica
player. Prior to his solo
career, he was a member of Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets
and The Broadcasters
. Nulisch's repertoire incorporates soul
combined with R&B
and Chicago blues
, redesigned to compliment his distinctive vocals
.
and Al Green
. In 1981 he was a founding member of Anson Funderburgh
's Rockets and sang with them until 1985. He was then part of Mike Morgan's Crawl, before moving to Massachusetts
and joining up with Ronnie Earl
's Broadcasters in 1988.
He began his solo career late in 1990, relocating to Boston
. James Cotton
then asked him to sing with Cotton's band on tour, after Cotton had lost his own voice
. Nulisch appeared on Otis Grand
's 1996 album, Perfume and Grime, which also utilized Luther Allison
.
Several of the songs in Nulisch's repertoire are his own, most of them written with Steve Gomes, who plays bass guitar
in Texas Heat, the band that backed Nulisch for a number of years. Other band members included Benjie Porecki (piano
), Johnny Moeller
(guitar) and Robb Stupka (drum
s).
Nulisch issued I Like It That Way in 2000. His fan
base started to expand from this point. His latest release, Just for You, was released in October 2009. It received a four star rating from Allmusic.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
electric blues
Electric blues
Electric blues is a type of blues music distinguished by the amplification of the guitar, bass guitar, drums, and often the harmonica. Pioneered in the 1930s, it emerged as a genre in Chicago in the 1940s. It was taken up in many areas of America leading to the development of regional subgenres...
singer and harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
player. Prior to his solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
career, he was a member of Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets
Anson Funderburgh
Anson Funderburgh is an American blues guitar player and bandleader of Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets since 1978...
and The Broadcasters
Ronnie Earl
Ronnie Earl is an American blues guitarist and music instructor.-Career:Earl collected blues, jazz, rock and soul records while growing up. He studied American History at C.W...
. Nulisch's repertoire incorporates soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
combined with R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and Chicago blues
Chicago blues
The Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois, by taking the basic acoustic guitar and harmonica-based Delta blues, making the harmonica louder with a microphone and an instrument amplifier, and adding electrically amplified guitar, amplified bass guitar, drums,...
, redesigned to compliment his distinctive vocals
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
.
Biography
Nulisch was raised listening to Otis ReddingOtis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
and Al Green
Al Green
Albert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...
. In 1981 he was a founding member of Anson Funderburgh
Anson Funderburgh
Anson Funderburgh is an American blues guitar player and bandleader of Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets since 1978...
's Rockets and sang with them until 1985. He was then part of Mike Morgan's Crawl, before moving to Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and joining up with Ronnie Earl
Ronnie Earl
Ronnie Earl is an American blues guitarist and music instructor.-Career:Earl collected blues, jazz, rock and soul records while growing up. He studied American History at C.W...
's Broadcasters in 1988.
He began his solo career late in 1990, relocating to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. James Cotton
James Cotton
James Cotton is an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, who has performed and recorded with many of the great blues artists of his time as well as with his own band.-Career:...
then asked him to sing with Cotton's band on tour, after Cotton had lost his own voice
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
. Nulisch appeared on Otis Grand
Otis Grand
Otis Grand is an American blues musician, best known for his album, Perfume and Grime .-Biography:Although born in Beirut, Grand has spent much of his life in the United States...
's 1996 album, Perfume and Grime, which also utilized Luther Allison
Luther Allison
Luther Allison was an American blues guitarist. He was born in Widener, Arkansas and moved with his family, at age twelve, to Chicago in 1951. He taught himself guitar and began listening to blues extensively. Three years later he began hanging outside blues nightclubs with the hopes of being...
.
Several of the songs in Nulisch's repertoire are his own, most of them written with Steve Gomes, who plays bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
in Texas Heat, the band that backed Nulisch for a number of years. Other band members included Benjie Porecki (piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
), Johnny Moeller
Johnny Moeller
Johnny Moeller is an American blues guitarist currently with The Fabulous Thunderbirds....
(guitar) and Robb Stupka (drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s).
Nulisch issued I Like It That Way in 2000. His fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
base started to expand from this point. His latest release, Just for You, was released in October 2009. It received a four star rating from Allmusic.
Discography
- Orange Soda (1991) - Black TopBlack Top RecordsBlack Top Records was a New Orleans, Louisiana based independent record label founded in 1981 by brothers Nauman S. Scott, III and Hammond Scott. The label specialized in blues and R&B music. The first release was "Talk To You By Hand" by Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets...
- Darrell Nulisch & Texas Heat - Business as Usual (1991) - Black Top
- Bluesoul (1996) - Higher Plane Music
- Whole Truth (1998) - Severn RecordsSevern RecordsSevern Records is an American independent record label that concentrates on blues music. Since its founding in 1998, Severn has issued more than 50 albums. Its motto is "Roots Music for the 21st Century".-History:...
- I Like It That Way (2000) - Severn RecordsSevern RecordsSevern Records is an American independent record label that concentrates on blues music. Since its founding in 1998, Severn has issued more than 50 albums. Its motto is "Roots Music for the 21st Century".-History:...
- Times Like These (2003) - Severn RecordsSevern RecordsSevern Records is an American independent record label that concentrates on blues music. Since its founding in 1998, Severn has issued more than 50 albums. Its motto is "Roots Music for the 21st Century".-History:...
- Goin' Back to Dallas (2007) - Severn RecordsSevern RecordsSevern Records is an American independent record label that concentrates on blues music. Since its founding in 1998, Severn has issued more than 50 albums. Its motto is "Roots Music for the 21st Century".-History:...
- Just for You (2009) - Severn RecordsSevern RecordsSevern Records is an American independent record label that concentrates on blues music. Since its founding in 1998, Severn has issued more than 50 albums. Its motto is "Roots Music for the 21st Century".-History:...
External links
- [ Biography] at Allmusic