This singer-songwriter from Bloomington, Illinois is an interesting character. Pokey LaFarge born Andrew Heissler loved reading about history and literature when he was growing up. Music is also in his blood since his grandfather was a musician and played the banjo. One of his first guitars was a tenor banjo that his grandfather gave him. This set the stage for his career.
He says he gets his nickname, Pokey from his mom who would scold him as a child to hurry up. Somewhere along the way, he discovered the Blues. He first heard the music of Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon at a pizzeria close to his home. He also enjoyed the music of such blues artists as Robert Wilkins, Skip James, and others. When he was 16 he traded his guitar for a mandolin and started traveling around the country making his living as a busker performing on the street and at malls. In 2006 he released his debut album, Marmalade, and went on tour with the string-based country-folk band, the Hackensaw Boys. He released his second album, Beat, Move and Shake in 2008 and has released several albums since then. In 2012 one of his songs was played on the HBO show, Boardwalk Empire. His music is a mix of blues, country, folk, and some jazz. His love of history and telling stories is apparent in his songs. He is set to release his new album, In the Blossom of Their Shade on September 10th. Check out this eclectic and talented singer-songwriter/guitarist and support independent music and musicians. Happy listening!
Get It, Fore It's Gone
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