"An immensely talented guitarist and singer who will singe the whiskers right off your face" -GuitarOne

"Man, I'll tell ya," says bluesman Michael Burks, "I don't play music for my health. I do it because I love it. Blues is life experience, and my blues comes from my heart." Boasting remarkable natural talent, gospel-driven soulfulness and a powerful, blue collar work ethic, Michael Burks is a contemporary bluesman with deep, traditional roots. He performs every song he plays with an intensity and conviction sorely missing from most contemporary music today. Even though he has been playing music since he was a child, it was the release of Make It Rain, his Alligator Records debut in 2001, that brought Burks well-deserved national recognition and made him one of the blues world's fastest-rising stars. With musical roots connecting him to Albert King, Freddie King and Albert Collins, Burks' sound and style are all his own. Blues Revue says, "Make no mistake, Burks is his own bluesman. Hard-hitting blues, outrageous tone…blazing, explosive solo skills…part rock, part soul and filled with plenty of blues sensibility." According to GuitarOne, "Burks is a blues legend in waiting."

The waiting is now over. With the release of his new CD, I Smell Smoke, Burks is set to take his place beside the biggest, most legendary names in the blues. As raw and passionate as ever, Burks plays with the precision and dedication of the seasoned veteran that he is. His hard-driving fretwork, soul-tinged vocals and captivating showmanship have ignited a legion of fans, as audiences around the world continue adding fuel to the Michael Burks blues fire.

Born in Milwaukee in 1957, Michael quite literally entered the world with blues in his blood. Joe Burks, Michael's grandfather, played acoustic, Delta-style blues guitar in his hometown of Camden, Arkansas. A multi-talented man, Joe was a barber, carpenter and aviation mechanic in addition to playing in area juke joints. Michael's father, Frederick, who moved to Milwaukee in 1953, was a bass player. For years, Frederick Burks worked in Milwaukee steel mills and refineries during the day and spent his evenings performing in the city's smoky, dimly-lit blues clubs, often backing harmonica legend Sonny Boy Williamson II, as well as other touring blues stars and local front men.

After years of performing without a record, Michael released his self-produced debut, From The Inside Out, in 1997. The album confidently announced Michael's intention to take the blues world by storm. His impassioned, string-bending solos, combined with his fiery tone and smoldering vocals, left no doubt that Michael Burks was an emotionally-charged blues powerhouse. Critics and fans loved what they heard. Blues Access proclaimed From The Inside Out to be "the most impressive indie in recent memory," and Living Blues rated it as one of "the best debut discs of the year." In 2000, Burks received a W.C. Handy Blues Award nomination for Best New Artist even though he was already a hard-working professional.

It had become clear that Burks had to pursue his musical career full-time once again. Fueled with a tank full of positive reviews, Michael began to play more festivals than ever before, appearing at the Chicago Blues Festival, Telluride Blues Festival, Mississippi Valley Blues Fest, and Kalamazoo Blues Fest and making headlining appearances at the Mississippi Muddy Waters Blues Fest, Arkansas River Blues Fest, and the Blind Willie Blues Fest, among others.

The unstoppable, heartfelt intensity that Michael brings to the stage lies at the very core of his appeal. Dedicated fans around the country and in Europe already know and appreciate the sweat, hard work and intensity he pours out each night. A constant string of performances at premier festivals and clubs continues to add even more word-of-mouth fuel to the fire. His deep, soul-infused music and undeniable charisma have proven Michael Burks to be an overwhelming force in the blues. With I Smell Smoke and continued touring, Michael Burks is igniting a fire in the blues world that will continue to burn for a long time to come.