Bernard Allison

Biography

Bernard Allison was born on November 26, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois, as the youngest of nine children to legendary blues guitarist Luther Allison. Growing up in a household saturated with music, Bernard was immersed in Chicago's electric blues scene from childhood, attending blues festivals and learning from his father's band rehearsals. He taught himself guitar at age ten after receiving a Fender Stratocaster from his brother, and by age thirteen, he made his first recording appearance on his father's live album in Peoria, Illinois, playing tracks including "You Don't Love Me No More" and "Sweet Home Chicago." His early influences included Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, and Jimi Hendrix, whose styles he studied by copying riffs from records.

After graduating high school in 1983, Bernard's professional career accelerated rapidly. At eighteen, he joined Koko Taylor's Blues Machine, where he spent three years touring internationally and learning the discipline and precision required for professional performance. In 1985, he formed his own band, "Bernard Allison and Back Talk," before moving to Europe in 1989 to join his father's band as bandleader, a position he held until 1991. When Luther Allison passed away in 1997, Bernard became the keeper of his father's musical legacy while simultaneously forging his own distinctive path. His solo career, which began with the album The Next Generation in 1990, evolved to incorporate funk, soul, rock, and jazz influences alongside traditional blues, resulting in a modern blues-rock sound that bridges generational gaps and keeps the blues relevant for contemporary audiences.

Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bernard Allison has established himself as a torchbearer of blues music, honoring his father's legacy while refusing to be confined by it. His extensive discography includes albums such as Hang On (1993), Funkifino (1994), Times Are Changing (1990s), Across the Water, Storms of Life, Kentucky Fried Blues, Higher Power, and Energized (a live recording and DVD from 2005). His musical vocabulary spans traditional Chicago blues, gospel, funk, rock, and R&B, and his mature artistry demonstrates mastery of both technical guitar prowess and emotional depth. Bernard's work has earned critical acclaim and recognition as a key figure in modern blues, combining showmanship, spontaneity, and innovative arrangements that push the genre forward.

Fun Facts

• Bernard secretly taught himself guitar for several years before his father discovered him in 1979 playing note-for-note reproductions of Luther Allison's early recordings, which led to his first recording session that very night.
• At age eighteen, Bernard made his stage debut with his father at the 1983 Chicago Blues Festival, and one week after graduating high school, he received a call from Koko Taylor offering him the position of lead guitarist in her Blues Machine.
• Bernard lived and performed in London, Ontario for a year and a half during the 1980s before permanently relocating to Europe in 1989, following in his father's footsteps of adopting European residence while maintaining his blues roots.
• Bernard hand-picked and oversaw the remastering of songs for 'Luther's Blues,' a collection celebrating his father's music, working with Pauler Acoustics, a renowned audiophile address, to honor Luther's legacy while maintaining his own distinct musical identity.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Luther Allison - Father and primary musical mentor who introduced Bernard to blues fundamentals, Chicago electric blues tradition, and professional performance standards (Live recordings including Peoria sessions (1979), Let's Try It Again (1989 Chicago Blues Festival collaboration)) [1965-1997]
• Koko Taylor - Bandleader and mentor who taught Bernard precision, power, performance discipline, and the professional demands of touring and recording (Koko Taylor's Blues Machine tours and recordings) [1983-1986]
• Johnny Winter - Stylistic influence whose recordings Bernard studied and copied riffs from during his early teens (Various recordings studied by Bernard) [1970s-1980s]
• Stevie Ray Vaughan - Stylistic influence and relationship in the 1980s that expanded Bernard's guitar foundation (Various recordings studied and collaborative relationships) [1980s]
• Albert King - Early stylistic influence whose recordings Bernard studied during childhood (Various recordings studied by Bernard) [1970s-1980s]

Key Collaborators

• Koko Taylor - Lead guitarist in her Blues Machine band (Koko Taylor's Blues Machine) [1983-1986]
• Luther Allison - Bandleader and co-performer in father's band; recorded collaborative live album (Let's Try It Again (RUF Records), 1989 Chicago Blues Festival recording) [1989-1991, 1979 (first recording)]
• Willie Dixon - Backed by Bernard's band while performing with Koko Taylor's Blues Machine (Live performances) [1983-1986]

External Links

• Spotify