Eddie 9V

Biography

Born Brooks Mason in June 1996 to a non-musical family ten miles south of Atlanta, Georgia, Eddie 9V received his first guitar at age six—a toy model with a built-in speaker—and quickly developed a passion for blues and soul, rejecting manufactured pop in favor of local heroes like Sean Costello and classics from Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Freddie King, and Rory Gallagher. By his early teens, he was performing in Atlanta clubs despite his youth, starting with the covers band The Smokin’ Frogs and progressing to blues-rock outfit The Georgia Flood, which represented the Atlanta Blues Society at the 2013 International Blues Challenge in Memphis before he graduated high school. The group evolved into the indie-rock band PREACHERVAN, touring nationally, but Mason grew burned out on low-paying gigs and returned to his blues roots.[1][2][3][4]

In 2019, adopting the moniker Eddie 9V—earned during road banter with PREACHERVAN bandmates—he released his debut album Left My Soul In Memphis, recorded casually in his mobile trailer with brother and co-writer/producer Lane Kelly, which became a breakout hit praised as 'fresh and life-affirming.' This led to a deal with Ruf Records after label head Thomas Ruf saw him live at Blind Willie’s Blues Club in 2020. His style blends retro soul, soul blues, modern blues, Southern soul, rock, and funk, drawing from 1950s-1970s soul and golden-era American roots. Albums like Little Black Flies (featuring Tedeschi Trucks Band’s Brandon Boone and guitarist Cody Matlock) and Capricorn (2022, #1 on Billboard Blues chart) solidified his rise from local scene staple to international artist.[1][2][3][5][6]

Eddie 9V's legacy lies in reinvigorating the South’s roots music scene as a precocious multi-instrumentalist and bandleader, earning acclaim from outlets like Blues Blast, Classic Rock, and The Guardian for his instinctive, high-energy performances and songwriting that bridges blues traditions with fresh appeal.

Fun Facts

• Adopted the stage name 'Eddie 9V' (9-volt) during mobster-style banter on tour with PREACHERVAN in 2019, to stand out from generic blues band names.
• Recorded his breakout debut Left My Soul In Memphis as a casual 'side project' in his mobile trailer, which unexpectedly launched his solo career.
• At age 26, became one of the youngest artists to hit #1 on the Billboard Blues chart with Capricorn in 2022.
• First gig was in sixth grade as a drummer in a death metal band before switching to guitar.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Tinsley Ellis - Key early mentor who provided coaching and helped connect him to Alligator Records (Supported debut efforts like Left My Soul In Memphis) [2019 onward]
• Sean Costello - Local Atlanta legend and first hero who inspired him as a young fan (N/A (inspiration from live scene)) [Early 2000s]

Key Collaborators

• Lane Kelly - Brother, co-writer, and producer (Left My Soul In Memphis (2019)) [2019]
• Brandon Boone - Bass player from Tedeschi Trucks Band (Little Black Flies) [~2020]
• Cody Matlock - Guitarist and local icon recruited for sessions (Little Black Flies) [~2020]
• The Georgia Flood / PREACHERVAN members - Early bandmates in blues-rock and indie-rock groups (International Blues Challenge (2013), national tours) [2010-2019]

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #blues, #blues-rock, #neo-soul