Lucky Peterson

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Lucky Peterson (born Judge Kenneth Peterson, December 13, 1964, Buffalo, New York) is an American musician who plays contemporary blues, fusing soul, R&B, gospel and rock and roll. He plays guitar and keyboards. Music journalist Tony Russell, in his book The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray has said, "he may be the only blues musician to have had national television exposure in short pants."

Peterson's father, bluesman James Peterson, owned a nightclub in Buffalo called The Governor's Inn. The club was a regular stop for fellow bluesmen such as Willie Dixon. Dixon saw a five-year-old Lucky Peterson performing at the club and, in Peterson's words, "Took me under his wing." Months later, Peterson performed on The Tonight Show, The Ed Sullivan Show and What's My Line?. Millions of people watched Peterson sing "1-2-3-4", a cover version of a James Brown song. At the time, Peterson said "his father wrote it".

As a teen, Peterson studied at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, where he played the French horn with the school symphony. Soon, he was playing backup guitar and keyboards for Etta James, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and Little Milton.

The 1990s were a prolific period for Peterson. Two solo Bob Greenlee produced albums for the Chicago-based Alligator Records (1989's Lucky Strikes! and the following year's Triple Play) remain his finest recorded offerings. He then released four more for the record label, Verve Records (I'm Ready, Beyond Cool, Lifetime and Move). While with Verve, Peterson collaborated with Mavis Staples on a tribute to gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, called Spirituals & Gospel. Peterson played electric organ behind Staples' singing.

More albums from Peterson came after 2000. He recorded two for Blue Thumb Records (Lucky Peterson and Double Dealin'), and one for Disques Dreyfus entitled, Black Midnight Sun. In 2007, he released his latest album on JSP Records, titled Tete a Tete.

Today, Peterson lives in Dallas, Texas. He still tours, but says he spends an increasing amount of time playing music for his church. He has four children.

Wikipedia contributors. "Lucky Peterson." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 14 Dec. 2010. Web. 14 Dec. 2010.