Born in 1969 in San Mateo, CA, blues guitarist
Eric Lindell spent much of his youth in nearby Santa Rosa and Forestville. Although he worked as a baker by day,
Lindell turned his focus to music in the evenings, honing his chops as a competent vocalist and guitarist by playing in bars around Sonoma County. He produced his debut album,
Bring It Back, in 1996, and in 1999 he won the
John Lennon Songwriting Competition with his original piece "Kelly Ann." That same year,
Lindell decided to move to New Orleans to pursue music in a different location. The move was a beneficial one, as
Lindell soon hooked up with
Galactic's
Stanton Moore and begin playing shows around town, frequently enlisting drummers
Johnny Vidocovich and
Harold Brown (from
War) to sit in. He issued a self-released, self-titled record in 2002, but the following year saw him move to Sparco Records, where he released both
Piety Street Session and
EP Volume 1.
Tragic Magic followed in 2005 and sparked serious interest from Alligator Records, which released
Change in the Weather in 2006 and
Low on Cash, Rich in Love in 2008.
Lindell continued his prolific output with 2009's
Gulf Coast Highway, another album of blue-eyed soul and confident guitar work. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide