Gary Primich

The Blues has always been road music, and the blues world is filled with hard working road warriors. Harmonica Maestro Gary Primich of Austin, Texas has proven he can hang with the best of them. His no nonsense approach to the music and nonstop touring have won him legions of fans across the North American Continent and Europe.

As a listener, Gary takes you on a musical journey from sounds of the Louisiana Swamp, to the south side of Chicago. From the guitar driven sounds of Texas to the Swing era ballroom. He puts together an eclectic package, hard driving and danceable, yet never lacking in subtlety. Gary Primich, without a doubt, holds a tight fisted grip on the essence of American roots music.

Raised in northwest Indiana, near the Windy City, Primich cut his teeth on the sounds of Chicago style blues. His early influences include Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Muddy Waters. As soon as he was old enough to sneak into the clubs, the eager harpster was sitting in with various blues bands at the night spots and Juke joints that dot the Chicago landscape. Primich logged a summer performing at Chicago's historic Maxwell Street open air market where many of today's blues legends got their start. Gary Primich left the Midwest in the early 80's and headed for the fertile musical soil of Austin, Texas. He has been a conspicuous part of that city's scene ever since.

Throughout the late 80's Gary fronted a blues outfit called The Mannish Boys (named after the Muddy Waters tune), who released two albums on the Amazing Records label. Striking out on his own in 1990, Primich released two solo albums (also for Amazing), "Gary Primich" and 1992's "My Pleasure" which was produced by fellow harmonica master James Harman. In early 1994, Gary signed with the Flying Fish Records label and released his critically acclaimed "Travelin' Mood". "Mr. Freeze", his second album for Flying Fish, expands on the promise of it's predecessor and firmly places Primich in the upper echelon of modern blues purveyors.

Gary Primich has been named top harmonica player in Austin 5 years running by the Music City Texas Poll. Primich's wide amplified tone has been in demand by other artists. He has guested on albums by Tish Hinojosa, Steve James, Libby Bosworth and Omar & The Howlers. Blues Access magazine, in a recent feature on blues artists who are taking the genre into the millennium, tagged Primich front and center. "Good songs come before flashy or extended solos," Primich believes. "I always try to do things musically that folks wouldn't expect from a harmonica player."

At his young age. Primich has been dedicated roadman, taking to the highways for over 200 dates a year. Humble, ever a bluesman and "a regular Joe," he envisions his epitaph. "He changed his oil every 3000 miles."

Primich has long since proven he's tough enough to hold his own in the thick of the best blues scene in the country. His latest recording Company Man proves for all that Primich deserves to be heard far beyond the city limits of Austin, Gary and Chicago.

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Last revised: 23 Nov 2002