For Ronnie Baker Brooks, the Blues is Definitely in His DNA

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Just ask Julian Lennon, Wolfgang Van Halen, Ziggy Marley or Jakob Dylan. But for Chicago bluesman Ronnie Baker Brooks—son of the late Chicago bluesman Lonnie Brooks—it's all in the family, and it's all good. And in fact, he traces his own musical influences and preferences that go well beyond the blues to his father's own expansive tastes. "You know what? Believe it or not, my dad loved . I think he wanted to be a country ! He cut 'Pick Me Up on Your Way Down' and he told the story about how he was booed by an audience when they found out he was Black!" Brooks says today. "He would play country music around the house all the time. And also, Top 40 because that's what he would have to learn and play in the clubs. And Elvis and Chuck Berry, he was crazy about them." The family also listened to a lot of gospel (thanks to an aunt) and the vocal stylings of Sam Cooke, who brought the elder Brooks (born in Louisiana and then relocated to Port Arthur) up to the bustling blues/soul mecca of Chicago in the early '60s. It was there that he dropped his performance moniker of "Guitar Jr." for his true name. "There's probably people there in Texas who only know him as Guitar Jr.!" his son laughs. The bulk of Lonnie Brooks' discography was on the Chicago-based Alligator Records. Now, son Ronnie makes an apt "homecoming" with , his own debut for the storied label. "This is the first record I've done with Alligator, and I have a lot of history there from working with my father. I know that Bruce Iglauer, the founder, has a strong passion and love for the blues, and his employees do too. I've known him since I was 10 years old!" Brooks recalls. "I remember he'd call us when he heard my dad's song on a radio station! I wanted to make a record for the love of the blues, so I put that in there first." On , the singer/guitarist melds blues, funk, soul, and balladry. But in writing solely 11 of the records 12 tracks with the last a co-write with Todd Park Mohr (aka the namesake of alt-rockers Big Head Todd and the Monsters), Brooks stuck to topics that he knows firsthand: racism, poverty, fiery love, and an admiration for his parents. And that's Lonnie's voice about passing along the blues tradition to his son sampled on the title track. Ronnie spent years playing in his father's band in the '80s and '90s, first starting on bass, while meeting all sorts of blues royalty that loved and respected his father. Ronnie's debut as a solo artist came with 1998's . "I have to sing about things I can relate to or things I have gone through, like in 'Robbing Peter to Pay Paul.' I can't sing about picking cotton because I never did, although my parents did. That's story," he offers. "I try to keep the authentic vibe those songs had and apply that to my songs and my story." Part of that story has taken Brooks all over the world where he's seen firsthand how the blues is experienced outside of the U.S. It's been a longtime fact that blues and jazz players who gig at small clubs and theaters here can fill much larger venues (and command much more respect) overseas. Brooks has a theory as to why. "They don't get the music over there like we do here. If they know Buddy Guy is coming, that's an and he might not come back," he says. "It's a deeper passion and appreciation. We do have the same passion here, but you can find fantastic bands all around. Authentic blues in abundance." He recalls being shocked while on tour in Belgium when a hotel clerk told him a man had been waiting "four or five hours" in the lobby just to get his autograph. And when Brooks rushed over once he found out to talk to him, the guy was literally . He sometimes felt a less-severe same way being a fan of some of his father's own contemporaries. "We are blessed here in Chicago. I've witnessed a lot of the greats in their heyday, and a lot of those men and women aren't here anymore. And Texas and Houston had a lot too. Albert Collins, Johnny Clyde Copeland, Gatemouth Brown. And Curley Mays!" Curley Mays? That's a name only deep blues crate diggers might recognize. "He's from Texas and he was a great showman and would do things on stage. Dad and Albert Collins would talk about him the time. He'd put on some sunglasses, place a piece of newspaper on the floor, put his guitar on top of it, and then start playing with his !" Ronnie Baker Brooks also make guest appearances on others' records and collaborates with a wide range of musicians—including rapper Al Kapone. But for one appearance, he didn't have to play or sing a note. Alligator labelmates Rick Estrin and the Nightcats gave him a shout out on their 1992 song "(I Met Her on the) Blues Cruise." In it, Estrin's high seas Lothario takes a fan back to her cabin for some nocturnal fun only to find out once she disrobed that her body was covered with tattoos of the faces of other famous bluesmen she's been with. And he finds the inked eyes staring back at him unsettling. Including the visage of Ronnie Baker Brooks on her chest above her breast. For his part, Brooks wasn't even aware of the mention until someone notified him and then showed him the very funny video. "Rick is very clever man, and they got a great band! Kid [Andersen] is a phenomenal guitar player. We always have a good time on the cruises together. It was pretty cool to get that shout out!" he says. Brooks, a horde of blues players (including Estrin and the Nightcats) and fans will be on the high seas again later this month for another trip of the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise. In addition to his own scheduled shows, one of the things that Brooks loves most about these trips are the impromptu or after-hours jam sessions, which he says started many years ago when he got together with singer/guitarist Little Ed. "I've had some of the most incredible jams of my career on those cruises. Kenny Lattimore, Bobby Rush, Taj Mahal, Los Lobos, Tommy Castro, even Dumpstafunk! Combinations of people that you will never see again," he says. "We sometimes play all night until we could smell the breakfast bacon cooking on the boat! It's just a great atmosphere, everyone is there for the music, and it's pretty relaxed. The fans don't get too crazy with you." Finally, Brooks says there is one tangible connection between the city of Houston, him, and his father. And that comes in the form of perhaps H-Town's most revered musical export (Sorry, ZZ Top and Beyoncé): Lightnin' Hopkins. "My dad would play him late at night and I'd have to get out of my bed. That voice...what a !" the 57-year-old Brooks says, his own voice still dripping with awe. "That and his guitar resonating around the house. To me, Lightnin' was just ."