About this Event
Wayne Baker Brooks is an in-person blues event for the general public, featuring a guitarist whose powerful vocals and liquid-fire playing honor Chicago blues while expanding the genre’s boundaries.
Born into the blues
Born and raised in Chicago, Wayne Baker Brooks grew up among the city’s blues legends and masters. Chicago blues shaped his innovative style. He visited historic landmarks including Chess Studios, the Checkerboard Lounge and Wisefools, where he witnessed performances by Buddy Guy, Jr. Wells, Luther Allison, Koko Taylor, Muddy Waters and his father, blues master Lonnie Brooks. Wayne is Lonnie’s youngest son.
From the family band to his own sound
Wayne joined his father’s band as a rhythm guitarist and soon became its musical director. In 1997, he formed the Wayne Baker Brooks Band while continuing to work with his father’s band. He also made a cameo appearance in Blues Brothers 2000.
Music and career
His acclaimed debut CD, Mystery, draws on blues, blues rock, soul, funk and beyond, earning multiple awards and praise from the music world. Brooks released the book Blues for Dummies and toured internationally. His television appearances have included ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and CNN’s Showbiz, alongside radio programs, print media and special media events.
At Chess Studios, for the Willie Dixon Blues Heaven Foundation, Brooks performed for First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton alongside Bo Diddley, Lonnie Brooks and Koko Taylor. After Wayne and his special guests’ set, Clinton remarked, “My husband is going to be so jealous he missed this!”
Event venue & nearby stays
Bay Street Yard, 2136 Bay Street, Fort Myers, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.