In the field of Belgian blues music, Guy Verlinde is their pride and joy. He has worked very hard for many years to get where he is today. It may be a bit of a cliche, but he has been called "the hardest working performer" of the Belgian blues scene.
Verlinde was born on March 22nd, 1976 in a small village near Bruges and started playing guitar and harp at the age of 16. His first band was called "Smokin' Chillums" and they played the blues clubs and festivals of Belgium and the Netherlands for six years. Due to his powerful performance Verlinde acquired the stage name "Lightnin 'Guy".
Over five years of soloing under his own name, Verlinde published six albums. He received the 2011 Belgian "Blues Award" and represented his country at the "European Blues Challenge" 2012 in Berlin. He has since made himself a name all over Western and Northern Europe.
In 2011 he founded Europe's first and only Hound Dog Taylor tribute band together with his accompanying musicians Erik Heirmann (drums) and Bart Mulder (rhythm guitar) to keep the heritage of this great musician alive. Currently he is mainly touring with his band "The Mighty Gators", but occasionally he is also performing as a "one man band", just him and a resonator and an old guitar case as a percussion instrument.
Worth mentioning is his "Blues in Schools Project", where he attempts to bring young people in contact with the blues music. Twice a month he organizes a blues jam session for young musicians in Ghent, where he lives.
Guy Verlinde's slide guitar- and harp are very emotional, unique and authentic. He sings with an expressive voice. His shows are always very energetic and almost overwhelming. As he puts it: "In a world of plastic and virtuality, people want real things."
Aynsley Lister was born on November 14th, 1976 in Leicester and is a British blues-rock guitarist, singer and songwriter.
He picked up the guitar when eight years old and first performed with a band at the age of thirteen. At 18, he founded his own band and published two albums with Tasty Records in 1996 and '97, at which point the German company Ruf Records became aware of him. Aynsley remained with them until 2008 and released seven albums and two DVDs during this period.
Aynsley's music is based on the blues, with his guitar reminiscent of the young Eric Clapton, but his original songs also include contemporary influences with harder rhythms.
In 2006 he participated in the annual "Blues Caravan" project of Ruf Records. Touring with him were Erja Lyytinen of Finland and Aynsley's compatriot Ian Parker. The tour culminated in the album and the DVD "Pilgrimage".
Aynsley was the only Briton in the 2007 Classic Rock's Top Ten compilation of the best contemporary blues artists. Among the chosen few in that year were Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Bonamassa and others.
In August 2014 Aynsley won the "British Blues Awards" in the categories "Best Songwriter" and "Best Song" and placed second in the categories "Best Guitarist", "Best Singer" and "Best Album".
At the 2015 British Blues Awards, Aynsley won "Best Guitar" (beating Alan Nimmo of King King) and placed second in "Best Male Vocals" (after Alan Nimmo).
Besides his work as an artist Aynsley is also as a private guitar teacher active in Leicester, and he has written lessons for guitar magazines, and published instructional DVDs. In January 2013 Aynsley began his "Guitar Weekends" in London. The first event was sold out in less than a day. It is now arranged annually and attracts guitarists from all over Europe.
King King is a quartet with their base camp in Glasgow, Scotland. Playing in the band are Alan Nimmo (vocals, guitar), Lindsay Coulson (bass), Wayne Proctor (drums) and the Dutch keyboard virtuoso Bob Fridzema.
King King is strictly speaking no newcomer. Alan Nimmo is a familiar face in international blues circles (of "Nimmo Brothers" fame, together with brother Stevie), while Coulson, Proctor and the original keyboarder Bennett Holland are all first-rate musicians with pedigree and past.
This also explains the hordes of fans and the masses of awards after a mere five years of existence and three albums with killer songs, performed with true passion by a tightly knit band.
At the 2013 "British Blues Awards" they won "Best Album" for the CD "Standing In The Shadows".
In 2014 they topped that, winning in five categories, among them "Best Band" for the third consecutive year.
At the 2015 British Blues Awards, King King was introduced into the Hall of Fame, after winning "Best Band" over three consecutive years. Alan Nimmo won "Best Male Vocals" (beating Aynsley Lister) and placed second at "Best Guitar" (after Aynsley). The band drummer Wayne Proctor won "Best Drums".
For the current new album "Reaching For The Light" (May 2015), they will have to make space in their trophy cabinet.
With King King you get fantastic original songs mixed with killer covers. Blues-rock and rock 'n' roll with fiery guitar solos. Alan Nimmo has a rich and nuanced voice and great charisma.
In the UK the band is already a household name, and they have gained a firm foothold in the Benelux countries. Now they are going for the rest of Europe.
By the way: Bandleader Alan Nimmo performs in a kilt.