Mike Bloomfield life and biography

Michael Bernard "Mike" Bloomfield was an American musician, guitarist, and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his instrumental prowess, since he rarely sang before 1969–70.

Respected for his fluid guitar playing, Bloomfield knew and played with many of Chicago's blues legends even before he achieved his own fame, was one of the primary influences on the mid-to-late 1960s revival of classic Chicago and other styles of blues music. In 2003 he was ranked at number 22 on Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".

He got his first guitar at age 13. Initially attracted to the roots-rock sound of Elvis Presley and Scotty Moore, Bloomfield soon discovered the electrified big-city blues music indigenous to Chicago. At the age of 14 the exuberant guitar wunderkind began to visit the blues clubs on Chicago’s South Side with friend Roy Ruby in search of his new heroes: players such as Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, Howling Wolf, and Magic Sam. Not content with viewing the scene from the audience, Bloomfield was known to leap onto the stage, asking if he could sit in as he simultaneously plugged in his guitar and began playing riffs.

Bloomfield was quickly accepted on the South Side, as much for his ability as for the audiences’ appreciation of the novelty of seeing a young white player in a part of town where few whites were seen. Bloomfield soon discovered a group of like-minded outcasts. Young white players such as Paul Butterfield, Nick Gravenites, Charlie Musselwhite, and Elvin Bishop were also establishing themselves as fans who could hold their own with established bluesmen, many of whom were old enough to be their fathers.

The exact events and circumstances that led to his death are not clear. What is known is that Bloomfield was found dead of a drug overdose in his car on February 15, 1981.The only details (from unnamed sources) relate that Bloomfield died at a San Francisco party, and was driven to another location in the city by two men who were present at the party.

Selected discography
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band:
-The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (1965)
-East-West (1966)
-The Original Lost Elektra Sessions (Unreleased recordings from 1964)
-East-West Live (Various live versions of the track East-West)

Electric Flag:
-The Trip (1967)
-A Long Time Comin' (1968)
-The Band Kept Playing (1974)

Solo:
-It's Not Killing Me (1969)
-Try It Before You Buy It (1973)
-If You Love These Blues, Play 'Em As You Please (1976)
-Analine (1977)
-Michael Bloomfield (1978)
-Count Talent And The Originals (1978)
-Between A Hard Place And The Ground (1979)
-Bloomfield-Harris (1979)
-Cruisin' For A Bruisin' (1981)

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