Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials with special guest Willie Phoenix

Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials take the stage at Natalie’s Grandview along with a special appearance from Willie Phoenix and his band. From smoking slide guitar boogies to raw-boned Chicago shuffles to the deepest slow blues, guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Lil’ Ed Williams is an awe-inspiring master bluesman.  The band’s big sound, fueled by Lil’ Ed’s gloriously rollicking slide work and deep blues string-bending, along with his rough-edged but soulful vocals, is as real and hard-hitting as Chicago blues gets. The Chicago Sun-Times says, “Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials are the hottest purveyors of bottleneck boogie to come out of Chicago since Hound Dog Taylor.”

Lil’ Ed Williams comes to the blues naturally. His uncle, Chicago slide guitar king and master songwriter J.B. Hutto, taught him how to feel, not just play the blues. Nine albums and thousands of performances later, Lil’ Ed is now universally hailed as a giant of the genre. Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials — bassist (and Ed’s half-brother) James “Pookie” Young, guitarist Mike Garrett and drummer Kelly Littleton — have remained together for nearly 30 years (an extraordinary feat for any group), the band fueling Ed’s songs with their rock-solid, road-tested telepathic musicianship.

Willie Phoenix, a historic and pivotal figure in the Columbus music scene, has been described as a “raging guitarist with a ton of attitude.” His juiced up live performances are the stuff of legends. The former A&M recording artist is a prolific songwriter who pens moving, soulful, rock, pop and reggae-influenced songs with infectious hooks.