Luke Winslow-King

Possessing talent as a vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist steeped in classic blues and jazz traditions, Luke Winslow-King gained his musical foundation through rigorous study at respected institutions combined with experience performing on city streets. Journeys as a touring player brought him to New Orleans, Louisiana, in 2002, where unexpected events left him stranded, prompting him to establish permanent roots. There he initiated his recording output via a self-issued, self-titled collection in 2006, followed by The Coming Tide in 2013, marking the start of several acclaimed releases on Bloodshot Records.

Although blues formed the core of his sound, Winslow-King incorporated funk and R&B elements with strong results on If These Walls Could Talk in 2022 and Flash-A-Magic in 2024.

Born in Cadillac, Michigan, Winslow-King took up guitar prior to his teenage years. He enrolled at Interlochen Arts Academy before pursuing music theory and composition at the University of New Orleans. During this period he earned a scholarship for Czech music studies at St. Charles University in Prague and received instruction from avant-garde composer "Blue" Gene Tyranny. Following the theft of his tour van in Louisiana, he returned to New Orleans and chose to remain, busking blues and folk material on Crescent City streets while backing jazz singer John Boutte. Winslow-King additionally composed for theater and film, served as a music therapist at the Institute of Applied Human Dynamics in the Bronx, New York in 2004, and instructed at the La Velle School for the Blind.

Once based in New Orleans, he co-established Earthwork Music and contributed to its releases, issuing his self-titled debut in 2006. Two years later came Old/New Baby through Fox on a Hill Productions. The Coming Tide arrived in 2013 on the established roots imprint Bloodshot Records. Winslow-King and his performing partner and spouse Esther Rose maintained an active concert itinerary, topping bills at intimate clubs and supporting Taj Mahal, the Rebirth Brass Band, Chris Thile, and Jack White. During fall 2014 he delivered his second Bloodshot effort, Everlasting Arms. Winslow-King and Esther Rose ended their marriage in October 2015; that event shaped the 2016 album I'm Glad Trouble Don't Last Always, which he dedicated to her with the statement "Thank you for helping me to understand the true nature of love and loss."

May 2018 brought his fourth Bloodshot album, Blue Mesa, reflecting a more conciliatory outlook on relationships alongside a fresher take on his blues foundation that included audible '70s R&B and New Orleans funk touches. For If These Walls Could Talk in 2022, Winslow-King headed to Memphis, Tennessee, to record with producer Dominic Davis and a studio ensemble featuring gospel and soul duo the Sensational Barnes Brothers plus keyboardist Rev. Charles Hodges, recognized for his collaborations with Al Green. He sustained the fusion of blues, funk, and soul on Flash-A-Magic, released in 2024 during Bloodshot Records' 30th anniversary.