Burton Gaar

Burton Gaar, a Cajun bass player and singer, absorbed the sounds of electric guitarist B.B. King and vocalist Bobby "Blue" Bland while growing up. His resolve to become a blues musician formed before he reached his teens. Toward the close of the 1950s he began working in his native Baton Rouge with blues legend Slim Harpo, appearing often at the Glass Hat Club, and he also spent a short time with the Boogie Kings. In the 1960s Gaar assembled his own band, which backed visiting artists in Baton Rouge that included zydeco artist Rockin' Sidney and soulful singer Percy Sledge. Rockin' Sidney's example stayed with him, prompting the later dedication of his album Mighty Long Road to the zydeco musician. Though Gaar remained active in music for nearly four decades, his first solo album, the Cajun-influenced Still Singing the Blues, did not appear until 1996, credited to him and the Mudcats. The following year he recorded One Hundred Pounds of Trouble in Holland, where the album enjoyed strong international sales. Gaar is among the musicians featured in Keith Shadwick's book Blues: Keeping the Faith.