SLICK BALLINGERReal Blues played Real Lowdown. Accept no substitute. Tweed's Blues reviews "Mississippi Soul".   This Photo courtesy of Deborah Cannon, Loose Cannon Photography. All others on this page courtesy of Mz Darlene Cramer Slicks's 2005 SCHEDULE right here*****Also click for a couple of too short video clips of him playing for some folks down in rural Mississippi. I apologise for the abrupt endings, but I ain't exactly a Spielberg or Scorcese when it comes to movies.Tweed [Talkin' bout Jesus MPG at Bamboo Room 04-2004] [On the Porch MPG] [Miz Mary's Blues MPG] [Boogie Chil'en MPG] Read More on Slick in the COMO CHRONICLES, New adventures in the Mississippi Hill Country. For Booking Contact: The spirit of the blues moves Daniel "Slick" Ballinger like the spirit of the lord moves a preacher. Hailed by many as a prodigy, he is in the midst of transforming into a deep bluesman. Born May 26,1984, this young man with an old soul developed an intense love and appreciation of Traditional Blues that led the native North Carolinian to make numerous pilgrimages to Mississippi, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, fueling his musical ability along the way. Before the age of 18 he had played with legendary artists: Hubert Sumlin, Pinetop Perkins, Othar Turner, "Steady Rollin" Bob Margolin, Calvin "Fuzz" Jones, Big Bill Morganfield, Henry Butler, Blind Mississippi Morris, T-Model Ford, Paul "Wine" Jones, and North Carolina's, Algia Mae Hinton. These renowned blues artist have all mentioned three words to describe Daniel Ballinger, "He's Got It". 
 In the summer of 2002 he spent the best time of his life in Gravel Springs, Mississippi, living with and learning from the 94 yr. old fife legend, the late Otha Turner. They became best friends, spending their days side by side, waking at 5:30 in the morning, tending the farm animals, working in the fields, traveling the gravel roads, and playing the blues at juke joints, and house parties every evening. Late at night they returned to a little house with no bathroom nor running water, loaded up the CD player,  and listened to the blues as they slept. The valuable lessons and knowledge passed on from the older bluesman have greatly impacted his life. Othar Turner taught him about the land…people…helping others…and about Jesus. "Mr. Otha" also taught him about the blues.  Rough, ragged, raw blues! Taking you back to the roots, and the days of old, when music escaped from the heart and jumped from the soul with abandonment. Back in time, to the barbecues, fish fries, juke joints, and liquor houses where the blues poured forth like white lightnin'. Remembrance of a simpler time…picnics on Saturday…church on Sunday. That's where Daniel…his friends call him "Slick"…wants to take you with his music. Preaching the blues with a soulful voice and a finger picking, string-snapping guitar style, "Slick" performs his down home, lowdown, and juke-joint style of traditional Mississippi blues with an intensity and passion that belie his youth. He sometimes sings of being an old man from a different time and place, when you hear him sing and observe his fluid slide guitar 
technique, somehow you believe it. Influenced by the work of Son House, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Mississippi Fred McDowell, John Lee Hooker, Pinetop Perkins, Lightnin' Hopkins, Howlin' Wolf, Junior Wells, R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, Willie King, and many others, Slick is a natural showman, with a powerful sound of his own. He can dance a little too, having been taught by an 87-year-old woman (Rainie Burnette's sister) that can still get down and dance in the dirt with the best of them.
Despite singing and playing guitar for only a few years, he is an accomplished, award-winning musician. Recognizing his musical achievements as a blues artist, The University of North Carolina has already recorded some of his work along with an interview that has been placed in their Archives. He has made several live performances on radio programs, as well as television shows, and is a featured performer in the UNC-TV PBS blues documentary, Piedmont Blues: North Carolina Style. Slick received his first guitar as a Christmas gift, initially so intimidated by it he could only look at it. Overcoming his trepidation a few months later, he began learning to play at the age of 15. A year later, he was a contender in the 2000 Triangle and the Charlotte Blues Society talent competitions, placing first runner-up in both. He was the Triangle Blues Society traditional category winner in 2001. After winning the 2002 Cape Fear Blues Challenge, he represented the Blues Society of the Lower Cape Fear in the Solo/Duo competition at the 2003 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, where he finished as one of the top finalists. The following year he represented the Howlin' Wolf Blues Society of West Point, Mississippi, performing with his band as "Reverend Slick and the Soul Blues Boyz" in the 2004 International Blues Challenge. The trio wowed the judges and excited the crowds with their raw, emotion packed originals, giving everybody a savory taste of their authentic Delta, driving Hill Country, and Gospel flavored Mississippi-style Blues. Reverend Slick and the Boyz were awarded the second place trophy for their outstanding performance. Slick was also honored with the prestigious Albert King Award for the most promising guitarist.  The future looks bright for Daniel "Slick" Ballinger. On the day of his high school graduation Slick moved to Como, Mississippi. He spends his free time traveling the gravel roads, performing gospel for his church, and continuing his blues education in "The School of the Blues". It's not a tangible place, for him it's living where the blues began, learning about life, and playing music with the older blues artist while they're still here. He was excited recently when one of his longtime dreams became a reality…he opened a show for Mr. B.B. King. 
Slick was signed in 2005 by John Prine and Al Bunetta's, Nashville label, Oh Boy Records and recorded the cd MISSISSIPPI SOUL at Grammy award winning recording engineer Jim Gaine's rural Tennessee studio. The final product was released on March 14, 2006 and is available at CD Universe, Amazon.com and all major retail record stores. You can catch Slick preaching the blues across the United States, solo or with his band "Slick Ballinger and the Soul Blues Boyz" consisting of the hard-driving North Carolina drummer, Leon Baker, and the phenomenal harmonica player, Mr. "Blind Mississippi Morris". You better catch him quick; he's on the move and he's moving fast!  For Booking Contact: MS.MIKI NORD UTR MANAGEMENT (Under The Radar Music Group) 1961 Rice St. Roseville, MN 55113 (651) 488-6671 voice (651) 487-1887 fax   {Click the Pomade Can for Performance Dates & Venues} {©2005/Tweed's Blues} |