Emmy-award winning Grammy nominee Billy Branch forged a unique path to blues stardom. Born in Chicago and raised in Los Angeles, he first took to the harmonica at age ten. But it wasn’t until after earning his political science degree from the University of Illinois that he became a fixture of Chicago blues.

Billy’s extraordinary journey began when Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon discovered him in college. Willie encouraged Billy to finish his education, then recruited him to tour with his Chicago All-Stars as understudy to the legendary Carey Bell. When Carey left to form his own band, Billy took his place and toured with the All-Stars for six years.

Since then Billy has appeared on more than 300 recordings, working with Taj Mahal, Koko Taylor, Shemekia Copeland, Johnny Winter, Lou Rawls, Honeyboy Edwards, Syl Johnson, Keb' Mo', Eddy Clearwater, Lurrie Bell, Eric Bibb, John Primer, Ronnie Baker Brooks and more. He’s recorded 16 of his own albums, won four Blues Music Awards and been nominated for three Grammys. Billy is also a champion of blues education, having taught music history and theory to countless children and adults around the world through university lectures and his interdisciplinary Blues in Schools curriculum.

Billy has led his band, Billy Branch and The Sons of Blues, on more than 300 international tours over their fifty years together. As the debut release on Rosa’s Lounge Records, the band’s latest album — The Blues is My Biography — is a heartfelt celebration of the genre. Produced by legendary songwriter and arranger Larry Batiste, it’s been lauded as “the work of a masterful musician.”