Mel Davis

• Genres: Blues

Biography

The cousin of blues great T-Bone Walker, Mel Davis has crafted his own Texas blues niche. The leader of his own band, the Blues Specialists, featuring keyboard player Lawrence Bell, guitarist Bob Richardson, saxophone player Louis Thompson, bassist Clay Windham, and drummer Weldon Gentry, Davis reached his peak with his 1992 album N2 Deep, a finalist for a W.C. Handy Award.

A native of Conroe, TX, Davis was born to play the blues. As a child, he spent countless hours hanging out, listening to his father playing drums. After hearing a band featuring his cousins Willie "Son" Garrett on harmonica, T-Bone Walker on guitar and vocals, Noah Gomer on keyboards, and Uncle Ed Cass on guitar, he was inspired to begin playing harmonica. He saved money for a month before purchasing his first harmonica in 1952. A baseball player in high school, Davis continued his education at Prairieville College, where he studied electrical engineering. Taking a job with IBM following his graduation, he balanced his work with performances with a variety of local blues bands, developing a unique single-note approach to the harmonica. After playing briefly as a duo with bass player Erbie Bowser, Davis added drummer T.D. Bell in 1987. He formed the Blues Specialists, with Bell's son, Lawrence Bell, on keyboards. ~ Craig Harris, Rovi