Smokin' Joe Kubek
Encyclopedia
Smokin' Joe Kubek is an American
electric blues
guitarist
.
and is associated with the Texas blues
style. He played with Freddie King
while still a teenager
, and put together his own band
to tour in the Dallas area. He met the Louisiana
-born singer, Bnois King, in the 1980s, and together they put together the first incarnation of Kubek's band. Kubek signed to Bullseye Blues in 1991 and released his debut record
; he has steadily released album
s since then, which often featured the two frontmen's songs.
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...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
.
Biography
Although he was born in Pennsylvania, Kubek grew up in TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and is associated with the Texas blues
Texas blues
Texas blues is a subgenre of blues. It has had various style variations but typically has been played with more swing than other blues styles....
style. He played with Freddie King
Freddie King
Freddie King , thought to have been born as Frederick Christian, originally recording as Freddy King, and nicknamed "the Texas Cannonball", was an influential African-American blues guitarist and singer. He is often mentioned as one of "the Three Kings" of electric blues guitar, along with Albert...
while still a teenager
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
, and put together his own band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
to tour in the Dallas area. He met the Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
-born singer, Bnois King, in the 1980s, and together they put together the first incarnation of Kubek's band. Kubek signed to Bullseye Blues in 1991 and released his debut record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
; he has steadily released album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s since then, which often featured the two frontmen's songs.
Discography
- Steppin' Out Texas Style (Bullseye Blues, 1991)
- Chain Smokin' Texas Style (Bullseye, 1992)
- Texas Cadillac (Bullseye, 1993)
- Cryin' for the Moon (Bullseye, 1995)
- Keep Comin' Back (Bullseye, 1996)
- The Axe Man (Double Trouble Records, 1996)
- Got My Mind Back (Bullseye, 1996)
- Take Your Best Shot (Bullseye, 1998)
- Bite Me! (Bullseye, 2000)
- Roadhouse Research (Blind Pig RecordsBlind Pig RecordsBlind Pig Records is an American blues record label.Blind Pig was formed in 1977 in Ann Arbor, Michigan by Jerry Del Giudice, owner of the Blind Pig Cafe, and his friend Edward Chmelewski. The label is now based in San Francisco...
, 2003) - Show Me the Money (Blind Pig, 2004) U.S. Blues #14
- My Heart's in Texas (Blind Pig, 2006) U.S. Blues #11
- Blood Brothers (Alligator RecordsAlligator RecordsAlligator Records is a Chicago-based independent blues record label founded by Bruce Iglauer in 1971.Iglauer started the label with his own savings to record and produce his favorite band Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers, whom his employer, Bob Koester of Delmark Records, declined to record...
, 2008) U.S. Blues #4 - Have Blues Will Travel (Alligator Records, 2010)