Eric Gales (born October 29, 1974), also known as Raw Dawg, is an American blues rock guitarist, originally hailed as a child prodigy. As of 2022[update], Gales has recorded nineteen albums for major record labels and has done session and tribute work. He has also contributed vocals on several records by the Memphis rap groups Prophet Posse and Three 6 Mafia under the names Lil E and Mack E.
Eric Gales | |
|---|---|
 Gales performing in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Raw Dawg |
| Born | October 29, 1974 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Labels | Cleopatra Blues (a division of Cleopatra), Elektra, House of Blues, MCA, Shrapnel, Blues Bureau International, Provogue |
| Spouse | LaDonna Gales[1] |
| Website | ericgalesband |
Career
editGales picked up the guitar at age four. His older siblings, Eugene and Manuel (Little Jimmy King), taught him songs and licks when he was young, in the style of Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, B.B. King and others. In 1985, the young Gales began to play at blues competitions with his brother Eugene backing him on bass. Although Gales plays a right-handed guitar "upside-down" (with the bass E string on the bottom), he is not naturally left-handed; he was taught by his brother, who is left-handed, and never second-guessed the nontraditional technique.[2]
In late 1990, Eric and Eugene Gales signed with Elektra Records, and together with the drummer Hubert Crawford released The Eric Gales Band (1991) and Picture of a Thousand Faces (1993). Guitar World magazine's Reader's Poll named Eric the "Best New Talent", in 1991. During this time he had two rock radio hits, "Sign of the Storm" (number 9, U.S. Mainstream Rock) and "Paralyzed" (number 31, U.S. Mainstream Rock)[3] and had spots on television programs such as The Arsenio Hall Show.
In 1994, Gales performed with Carlos Santana at Woodstock '94.[4] In 1995, Gales teamed up with both of his brothers to record an album, Left Hand Brand (released in 1996), as the Gales Brothers.[5] In 2001 Gales released his album That's What I Am on MCA Records.[6]
Gales has released the albums Crystal Vision, The Psychedelic Underground, The Story of My Life and Layin' Down the Blues on the Shrapnel Records label. Relentless (2010) was followed by Transformation (2011) and Live (2012).[7]
In 2004, he contributed a cover of "May This Be Love" to the album Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix.[8] In 2008, he and other guitarists participated in the touring tribute to Jimi Hendrix, Experience Hendrix.[9] The touring group of musicians included Billy Cox, Eric Johnson, Chris Layton, Doyle Bramhall II, Brad Whitford and Mitch Mitchell (it was the last tour that Mitchell played on).
In the winter of 2010, Gales returned to the touring circuit in Europe with TM Stevens on bass guitar and Keith LeBlanc on drums. The tour was billed as VooDoo Chile and featured works of Jimi Hendrix as well as original material from both Gales and Stevens.
In February 2013, Magna Carta Records released the album Pinnick Gales Pridgen, produced by Mike Varney and featuring Gales on guitar and vocals, Doug Pinnick on bass and vocals, and Thomas Pridgen on drums. The 13-track album featured one cover song, "Sunshine of Your Love", originally by Cream, one short instrumental based on Ludwig van Beethoven's "Für Elise", and the remaining songs written by some combination of Pinnick, Gales, Pridgen and Varney.[10] The follow-up album, PGP2, was released in July 2014.[11]
In 2017, Gales released his fifteenth studio effort, Middle of the Road, featuring numerous artists, including Gary Clark Jr., Lauryn Hill and others, as well as his own brother and mother.[12][13] The album became his first to chart on Billboard's Top Blues Album chart, peaking at No. 4, while Gales' following album, The Bookends, topped the chart at No. 1.[14] On May 9, 2019, he won the Blues Music Award for 'Blues Rock Artist of the Year'.[15] In his acceptance speech, he said he was celebrating three years of sobriety.[16] In May 2020, Gales won his second consecutive Blues Music Award as the 'Blues Rock Artist of the Year'.[17]
On October 21, 2021, Gales released the single "I Want My Crown," featuring Joe Bonamassa. The song serves as the lead single from his upcoming album Crown. Produced by Bonamassa and Josh Smith, the album was released on January 28, 2022. The album highlights Gales' "struggles with substance abuse, his hopes about a new era of sobriety and unbridled creativity, and his personal reflections on racism."[18] Upon release, it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Album chart, his second to do so.[14] It also garnered Gales his first Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album.[19] It was also ranked as the #19 best guitar album of 2022 by Guitar World readers.[20]
Discography
edit
Solo Albums
edit- 1991: The Eric Gales Band (Elektra Records)
- 1993: Picture of a Thousand Faces (Elektra Records)
- 1996: The Gales Brothers: Left Hand Brand (House of Blues Records)
- 2001: That's What I Am (MCA Records)
- 2006: Crystal Vision (Shrapnel Records)
- 2007: The Psychedelic Underground (Shrapnel Records)
- 2008: The Story of My Life (Blues Bureau International)
- 2009: Layin' Down the Blues (Blues Bureau International)
- 2010: Relentless (Blues Bureau International)
- 2011: Transformation (Blues Bureau International)
- 2012: Live
- 2013: Pinnick Gales Pridgen, Pinnick Gales Pridgen (Magna Carta)
- 2013: Eric Gales Trio, Ghost Notes (Tone Center Records)
- 2014: Pinnick Gales Pridgen, PGP2 (Magna Carta)
- 2014: Good for Sumthin (Cleopatra Records)
- 2016: A Night on the Sunset Strip, two discs (Cleopatra Records)
- 2017: Middle of the Road (Provogue/Mascot)
- 2019: The Bookends (Provogue/Mascot)
- 2022: Crown (Provogue/Mascot)
As Session Musician
edit- 1994: L.A. Blues Authority: Cream of the Crop
- 1994: Hard Love: 14 Original Metal Ballads
- 1999: Project Pat: Ghetty Green, uncredited verse on the song "Up There", as Lil E (Hypnotize Minds)
- 1999: Whole Lotta Blues: Songs of Led Zeppelin
- 1999: Parker Card & The Sideman Syndicate, Parker Card, with Shawn Lane (Orchard Records)
- 1999: This Ain't No Tribute Blues Cube
- 1999: Blues Power: Songs of Eric Clapton
- 1999: Blue Power: Song of Eric Clapton, This Ain't No Tribute
- 1999: Triple 6 Mafia: Underground Vol. 2 (Club Memphis), with "Lil E – Half on a Sack or Blow" (Prophet Entertainment)
- 2000: Blue Haze: Songs of Jimi Hendrix
- 2000: Hypnotize Camp Posse: Three 6 Mafia Presents...Hypnotize Camp Posse, uncredited verse on the song "We Bout to Ride", as Lil E (Hypnotize Minds)
- 2000: Triple 6 Mafia: Underground Vol. 3 (Kings of Memphis), with "Lil E – The Powder [The Higher Version]" and "Lil E – Niggaz Down 2 Make Some Endz" (Prophet Entertainment)
- 2001: Hellhound on My Trail: Songs of Robert Johnson
- 2002: Led Zeppelin: This Ain't No Tribute Series – All Blues'd Up!
- 2002: Eric Clapton: This Ain't No Tribute Series – All Blues
- 2002: A Salute to the Delta Blues Masters
- 2003: Presents, Vol. 1
- 2003: Highway 60's 70's Blues Revisited
- 2003: Got Blues!
- 2003: Wall of Soul: Lance Lopez
- 2004: Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix
- 2005: Show You a Good Time
- 2005: Rock Revisited
- 2005: Get Down Workout
- 2005: Blues Interlude
- 2005: Lottery: Diamonds-N-Da-Ruff
- 2006: Wes Jeans – Forest of the Pine
- 2006: Viva Carlos: Supernatural Marathon Celebration
- 2006: A Walk on the Blues Side
- 2006: Billy Cox and Buddy Miles, The Band of Gypsys Return
- 2014: Eli Cook, Primitive Son[21]
References
edit- ^ Seah, Daniel (October 13, 2020). "Musicians rally in support of Eric Gales, who has been hit with COVID-19". Guitar.com. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
- ^ "Eric Gales and the Gales Brothers". Personal.mco.bellsouth.net. Archived from the original on February 20, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
- ^ "Eric Gales – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
- ^ "Eric Gales and Santana Live at Woodstock 94". YouTube. March 1, 2011. Archived from the original on February 10, 2017. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
- ^ Skelly, Richard. "Little Jimmy King". AllMusic. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
- ^ "ERIC GALES "That's What I Am"". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Eric Gales". Shrapnel Label Group, Inc. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ Rod Brakes (April 19, 2022). "Watch a 14-Year-Old Eric Gales Destroying the Competition During a Battle of the Bands Contest in 1989". Guitar Player. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ Chinen, Nate (October 22, 2008). "Move Over, Rover. Let Jimi Take Over". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ "Interview: Eric Gales & Doug Pinnick - Gospel Grooves & Abnormal Blues - Premier Guitar". www.premierguitar.com. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ "Pinnick Gales Pridgen". Magnacarta.net. Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- ^ Kerzner, Barry (March 22, 2017). "Eric Gales Is Back, Making the Most of a Second Chance - American Blues Scene". Americanbluesscene.com. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
- ^ "The return of Eric Gales, the guitarist who could be king". Louderthansound.com. February 10, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
- ^ a b "Eric Gales : Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
- ^ "2019 Blues Music Awards Winners Announced". Antimusic.com. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
- ^ "40TH BLUES MUSIC AWARD NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED". Blues.org. January 7, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
- ^ McKay, Robin. "BLUES MUSIC AWARDS". Blues.org. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- ^ Owen, Matt (October 21, 2021). "Eric Gales trades guitar solo blows with Joe Bonamassa in dueling new single, I Want My Crown". Guitar World. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ Owen, Matt (November 16, 2022). "Ozzy Osbourne, Muse, Megadeth, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eric Gales, Bonnie Raitt and Wet Leg nominated for 2023 Grammys". Guitar World. Guitar World Magazine. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
- ^ Horsley, Jonathan (December 21, 2022). "The best guitar albums of 2022". Guitar World. Future plc. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Primitive Son – Eli Cook | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2016.