Home Of The Blues by Burton Gaar

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While Burton was not working tending to livestock, he was picking or gleaning cotton (the painful hand picking process of leftover cotton, after the machinery had passed over the field).

"It was common to hear Elvis, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams Sr. being played on the same radio stations." says Gaar "You could hear Blues, R&B, Country, and Swamp Pop music all on the top 40 charts."

As a small child, Gaar was exposed to Gospel music at local African American churches. He was hearing Muddy Waters and Elvis on regional radio stations and becoming drawn to this musical genre. Burton's uncle Jack, who was a heavy equipment operator for the state of Louisiana, then gave Burton a formal introduction to the guitar at age 10.

"As a child I would ride my bicycle many miles to watch great bands such as BB King, Jimmy Reed and Bobby Blue Bland," says Gaar. "I was under age and had to watch shows from the back door of the clubs. These blues artists performed at various social clubs and community centers in the small town near my home. I had a strong desire to become a blues musician."

At the age of 14, Burton would hitch hike into Baton Rouge to "The Glass Hat Lounge" to jam with Baton Rouge Blues Legend Slim Harpo who had a regular gig there. Gaar, being only 14 would wait around hoping some musicians from the band would not show up. Slim would let Gaar stand in for musicians that were absent. "Even though I was not of legal age to be in the lounge, I was tall and that seemed to qualify my admittance back then".

Gaar formed a band and began his professional music career playing V.F.W. halls and American Legion Halls. The band was unable to find a bassist. Out of necessity, Gaar decided to switch from playing guitar to bass. He began writing his own music at this time.

"I always felt that a song should take you on a journey in your mind" says Garr.

Burton was a strong athlete and received a track scholarship. He attended Mc Neese University and L.S.U. He was a high jumper on the track team and even worked as an airplane pilot for a while.

"My heart was always in music", says Gaar.

Burton started recording his songs in the mid 1970's. He released his first CD entitled "Still Singing the Blues" in 1990. This compilation featured his brother John Gaar on guitar and background vocals.

Gaar began working with Zydeco Legend Rocking Sidney regularly in 1983. Rocking Sidney would perform in Gaar's band playing keys and Gaar's band in return backed up Rocking Sidney for his shows.

"Rocking Sidney and I were close friends", Says Gaar. He was a mentor to me. We worked together off and on for 12 years. Rock told me to write songs all the time, it is like having a savings account at the bank".

In the early to mid eighties Burton's band backed up The King Of Slow Soul, Percy Sledge. He then moved to Nashville Tennessee and worked for two years as a songwriter for Charlie Daniels publishing company, "Cabin Fever".

In the mid 1990's Gaar was contracted by Crosscut Records of Germany to produce a CD for European distribution. This disc entitled 100 Pounds Of Trouble, charted for 4 months in the Billboard International Top 5. Crosscut distributed the product in Europe and Sound Ventures Records of Evergreen Louisiana distributed the cd throughout the US and Canada.

Grammy Nominated Handy Winner Charlie Musselwhite recorded Gaar's song "No" from this disc as the first cut on his Grammy nominated album, Continental Drifter. Musselwhite later chose Gaar's song to perform while promoting his cd on the Conan O'Brian Show.

In the year 2000, Gaar released his third CD named "Mighty Long Road". The disc, recorded in Nashville was distributed through New Orleans based Louisiana Red Hot Records.

Burton Gaar and T.C. Davis produced the project. The Mighty Long Road features the legendary, Guitarist Jack Pearson, Harmonica man Tim Gonzalez, Organist Johnny Neel, Guitarist Shane Theriot and others.

Bluesman Carl Weathersby said, "Burton Gaar has it all"

The newest release titled-Home Of The Blues was recorded in Nashville Tennessee at Colemine Studios. Louisiana Blues Hall Of Fame artist Larry Garner was quoted "I am a hard man to please and I like every song on the Home Of The Blues disc."

Charlie Musselwhite said "every tune is an A side." (Making reference to the days of 45 r.p.m. vinyl singles when it was standard to have your best song on "side A").

Home Of The Blues features-Burton Gaar on lead vocals, Tim Gonzalez on harmonica, Organist Johnny Neel (formerly of the Allman Brothers and Government Mule), Guitarist Shane Theriot, (of the Neville Brothers Band), Guitarist Danny Hamelin, Guitarist Doug Jones, Bassist Randy Coleman (of the T. Graham Brown Band), Drummer Floyd Saizon (formerly with The Delta Rockets), and Horns with Marty Ojeda, Steve Herman, Tom McGinley and Dennis Taylor. Johnny Garcia (Guitarist and music director for Garth Brooks) mixed the disc along with Randy Coleman of Colemine Studios in Nashville.

Home Of The Blues-was released October 10th, 2003 on Sound Ventures Records. For more information about Burton Gaar

visit www.burtongaar.com

or contact:

Sound Ventures Records

P.O Box 352, Lecompte, LA. 71346

Ph.(318)776-5146 , Cell(318)613-5194

Publicist Contact: Floyd Saizon (225) 806-9314 floydeaux@aol.com

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