www.reverendraven.com
Born and raised in the Englewood neighborhood on south side of Chicago. The Reverend has been playing the blues since 1971 when he first saw Freddy King play at the Kinetic Theatre in Chicago. After 15 year hitch in the Navy, Chief Raven moved to Milwaukee where he began a long friendship and collaboration with Madison Slim, long time harmonica player for Jimmy Rogers. Since 1990 he has opened for B.B King, Gatemouth Brown, Pinetop Perkins, Koko Taylor Band, Junior Wells, Elvin Bishop, Sugar Blue, Lonnie Brooks, William Clarke, Rod Piazza, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Duke Robillard, Jeff Healy, Tommy Castro and numerous others at festivals and at Buddy Guy's Legends where he has been on rotation as a headliner for 20 years. The Reverend was the Wisconsin Music Industry (WAMI) award for best blues band in 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010 and again in 2015. They also received the People's Choice Award in 2006, 2008 and again in 2010 and nominated Artist of the Year and best blues band of the year in 2011 and 2012. They were nominated by Blues Blast Magazine for best blues band of the year and song of the year in 2011. The band has been voted the Best Blues Band In Milwaukee by The Shepherd Express Reader's Poll in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Their live cd "Live at The Big Bull" won "Best Live CD of the Year" from Blues Blast Magazine and The Independent Blues Scene in 2016. Their current CD "My Life" their Twentieth Anniversary is currently # 1 on the Roots Music Radio Chicago Blues CD Chart for April 21, 2018.
Westside Andy Linderman has been the bands featured harmonica player since 2015. He's played over 10,000 gigs over some 45 years, working with a Who’s Who of the Blues: Luther Allison, Ben E. King, James Cotton, Pinetop Perkins, Barrelhouse Chuck, Hubert Sumlin, Tab Benoit, Gary Primich, Mel Ford, Billy Flynn, Paul Black & the Flip Kings, Corky Siegel, Jim Schwall, Ben Sidran, Tino Gonzales, Clyde Stubblefield, The Doobie Brothers, Richie Havens, and The University of Wisconsin 250-piece band (!).
