Thursday, 27 July 2006                 

Dennis Binder - Blues Hall Of Fame - Early Rock-N-Roll Star 

From his humble beginning  in the sleepy little town of Rosedale, Mississippi , Dennis Binder has been making history in the music world. From his early days as a child growing up and singing Gospel music he has matured in his stature and his musical abilities. He began as an adult in the world of Delta music, the juke joints, the clubs of Chicago and around the world. Then he came into contact with Ike Turner and Sam Phillips owner of Sun Records and he laid down the tracks that would be the beginnings  of what became Rock-N-Roll. Dennis was right there in the midst of it all back when Jackie was cutting Rocket 88 and Elvis was making his first cut of " That's All Right Moma. Dennis says he believes that Elvis has never been given the credit he deserves for opening the doors to black entertainers around the world. Sam Phillips new that if he could find a white boy that could sing the rockin blues of the Delta he would have a star a real Big Star and he was right 100% right. Elvis may have picked up his music and his style in the juke joints of Mississippi and by listening to the Black Bluesmen of that time but he was a launching pad that propelled them all to fame. Dennis was one of those who had the doors swing wide open to him thanks to the King of Rock-N-Roll.

Dennis Binder was born in Rosedale, Mississippi, on November 18, 1928. He began his career playing spirituals on piano. When he was young, his family moved to St. Louis and then in 1939 up to Chicago, where he got interested in the blues. Binder first shows up as a leader in Chicago on October 1, 1953, when he posted an indefinite contract with the Heat Wave with Musicians Union Local 208. On November 19 of the same year he posted an indefinite contract with the Fiesta Club. Heading south, he recorded a single under producer Ike Turner in Memphis in 1954 that got released on Modern. Returning to Chicago, Binder worked the Heat Wave in September 1954 (contract posted on September 2). During another trip to Chicago, Binder and his band knocked on Leonard Allen's door in May of 1955. The band he brought to the May 12 session included, besides Binder on piano, Vincent "Guitar Red" Duling on guitar, Bob Prindell on drums, and Raymond Hill and Bobby Fields on tenor saxes. Al Smith supplied the bass, without bringing ruination on the proceedings this time. Shortly after the session, Binder and band picked up work at the Fiesta Cotton Club (two contracts, one for 1 day and one "indefinite," were accepted and filed by Local 208 on June 2). In early July Binder started being featured at the Grand Terrace (indefinite contract posted on July 7).

In May 1956 Dennis Binder was back in town for a long-term engagement at the Rocket Lounge (he filed an indefinite contract and a 5 month contract with Local 208 on May 3). On August 2, he filed an indefinite contract with Tommy's Lounge.

Dennis has worked with almost anybody who is anybody in Blues and early rock-n-roll. Some of those are listed here: Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Robin Night Hawk, Junior Wells, Earl Hooker, Sunnyland Slim, Bill Walker, Tampa Red, Muddy Waters, Lou Rauls, Count Bassie, The Coasters, The Drifters, The Midnighters, John Guitar Watson, Ike Turner, Tina Turner, Diane Washington, The Inkspots, Raymond Hill, Billy the Kid Emerson, Jackie Brenston, Floyd Dickerson, T. Bone Walker, Freddy King, L.C. Cooke, Lloyd Fulton, Clean Head Vincent, J.C. Harmon, Jerry Cramer, Stacy Mitchhart and has played in clubs from Chicago to the Mississippi Delta and all across the USA and in Europe. For all of this Blues Hall Of Fame artist great story visit www.dennisbinder.com

He is available for clubs, corporate events, fairs, festivals, concerts, television appearances and all other venues.