Lucky Peterson (born Judge Kenneth Peterson, December 13, 1964,
Buffalo, New York) is an American musician who plays contemporary blues,
fusing soul, R&B, gospel and rock and roll. He plays guitar and
keyboards.
Biography Peterson's father, bluesman James Peterson, owned a nightclub
in Buffalo, called The Governor's Inn. The club was a regular stop for
fellow bluesmen such as Willie Dixon. Dixon saw a five-year-old Lucky
Peterson performing at the club and, in Peterson's words, "Took me under
his wing." Months later, Peterson performed on The Tonight Show, The Ed
Sullivan Show and What's My Line?. Millions of people watched Peterson
sing "1-2-3-4," a cover version of a James Brown song. At the time,
Peterson said "his father wrote it".
As a teen, Peterson studied at the Buffalo Academy of Performing
Arts. There, he played the French horn with the school symphony. Soon,
he was playing backup guitar and keyboards for Etta James, Bobby "Blue"
Bland, and Little Milton.
Lucky Peterson at National Blues Festival of Le Creusot in 1994.The
1990s were a prolific period for Peterson. Two solo Bob Greenlee
produced albums for the Chicago based Alligator Records (1989's Lucky
Strikes! and the following year's Triple Play) remain his finest
recorded offerings. He then released four more for the [record label],
Verve Records (I'm Ready, Beyond Cool, Lifetime and Move). While with
Verve, Peterson collaborated with Mavis Staples on a tribute to gospel
singer Mahalia Jackson, called Spirituals & Gospel. Peterson played
electric organ behind Staples' singing.
More albums from Peterson came after 2000. He recorded two for Blue
Thumb Records (Lucky Peterson and Double Dealin'), and one for Dreyfus
(Black Midnight Sun). In 2007, he will release a new album on JSP
records, called Tete a Tete.
Today, Peterson lives in Dallas, Texas. He still tours, but says he
spends an increasing amount of time playing music for his church. He has
four children.