He was raised in the Baton Rouge area and early on played in gospel and straight ahead R&B; bands. After serving in the army he actually quit music altogether for around ten years.
Around 1983, he started to sit in on local shows again and within two years had formed his own band, quickly gaining a reputation for his live performances and for the fact that much of the material played was self-penned.

All his albums are worth getting hold of, starting off with his first album proper "Double Dues" (he had previously issued a cassette of his own material which got him a label deal). He released "Too Blues" in 1993, by which time he had already become a favourite in the UK and Europe. Recording for a bigger label (Verve) has not really changed his approach to his music but has allowed a bit more care in the production. Take a listen to "You Need To Live A Little" and, especially, "Standing Room Only" and the fairly recent "Once Upon The Blues", all of which have received excellent reviews. Definitely worth watching!