Lucky Peterson

Lucky Peterson (born Judge Kenneth Peterson, December 13, 1964, Buffalo, New York) is an American musician who plays contemporary blues, fusing soul, R&B, gospel and rock and roll. He plays guitar and keyboards. 

Peterson's father, bluesman James Peterson, owned a nightclub in Buffalo called 'The Governor's Inn'. The club was a regular stop for fellow bluesmen such as Willie Dixon. Dixon saw a five-year-old Lucky Peterson performing at the club and, in Peterson's words, "Took me under his wing."  Months later, Peterson performed on The Tonight Show, The Ed Sullivan Show and What's My Line?. Millions of people watched Peterson sing "1-2-3-4", a cover version of "Please, Please, Please" by James Brown. At the time, Peterson said "his father wrote it". Around this time he recorded his first album, "Our Future: 5 Year Old Lucky Peterson", for Today/Perception Records and appeared on the public television show, Soul!.

As a teen, Peterson studied at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, where he played the French horn with the school symphony. Soon, he was playing backup guitar and keyboards for Etta James, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and Little Milton.

The 1990s were a prolific period for Peterson. Two solo Bob Greenlee produced albums for the Chicago-based Alligator Records (1989's "Lucky Strikes!" and the following year's "Triple Play") remain his finest recorded offerings.  He then released four more for the record label, Verve Records ("I'm Ready"," Beyond Cool, "Lifetime" and "Move"). While with Verve, Peterson collaborated with Mavis Staples on a tribute to gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, called "Spirituals & Gospel". Peterson played electric organ behind Staples' singing.

More albums from Peterson came after 2000. He recorded two for Blue Thumb Records ("Lucky Peterson" and "Double Dealin'), and one for Disques Dreyfus entitled, "Black Midnight Sun". In 2007, he released "Tete a Tete" on JSP Records.

In 2013, the Blackbird Music/55 Arts Club DVD of "Live At The 55 Arts Club Berlin" was nominated for a Blues Music Award.

Today, Peterson lives in Dallas, Texas, and maintains a rigorous tour schedule performing all over the world.

(Lucky Peterson at Riverfront Blues Festival, Wilmington, Delaware 2009)