Becky Barksdale

Becky Barksdale, a guitarist who grew up in Port Arthur, Texas—the same birthplace as the iconic Janis Joplin—first picked up an instrument at age twelve after her grandfather handed one to her. Rapid development soon followed, allowing her to perform regularly on the local circuit by sixteen and then spend time touring with a later lineup of the blues-boogie group Canned Heat. Informal recommendations brought her to the attention of Michael Jackson, who personally chose her to handle guitar duties for the pop star’s 1993 tour in support of the album Dangerous. Rising visibility led to her becoming the initial signing on the House Of Blues roster, where she appeared on the label’s 1997 anthology Essential Women In Blues. Her 1999 album Real Live drew strong critical praise that framed Barksdale as an emerging presence in blues-rock.