Elvin Bishop

	Born
	October 21, 1942 in Glendale, CA
	Active Decades
	19001020304050607080902000

by Michael Erlewine

A veteran guitarist who fused the blues with gospel, R&B, and country traditions, Elvin Bishop was born in Glendale, CA, on October 21, 1942. He grew up on a farm in Iowa with no electricity or running water, and eventually moved to Oklahoma with his family when he was ten. Raised in an all-White community, his only exposure to African-American traditions was the radio, which introduced him to the sounds of blues stations in Shreveport, LA. The piercing sound of Jimmy Reed's harmonica won his attention; Bishop would later liken it to a crossword puzzle that he had to figure out. What was this musicNULL Who made itNULL What was it all aboutNULL Inspired, he began to put the pieces together.

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