Rick Estrin

Rick Estrin, born in San Francisco in 1949, grew up fiercely independent and steeped in the vibrant urban blues culture of his hometown. Inspired by Ray Charles’ The Genius Sings the Blues at age 12, he quickly fell in love with the music, picking up his first harmonica at 15 and playing in local clubs by 18. Early gigs with legends like Lowell Fulson and R&B giant Z.Z. Hill paved the way for his journey through the blues, leading him to Chicago and memorable sessions with Muddy Waters, who once told him, You outta sight, boy! You got that sound! You play like a man! Rick formed Little Charlie & The Nightcats before evolving the group into Rick Estrin & The Nightcats with guitar virtuoso Kid Andersen after Charlie Baty’s retirement in 2008. The band has twice won the Blues Music Award for Band of the Year, and Estrin himself has won Blues Music Awards for Song of the Year, Traditional Male Blues Artist, and Instrumentalist-Harmonica. Living Blues has called his harp work masterful, and the band’s music intelligently conceived and executed and hugely entertaining.