Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 15th February!
Michael Bernard „Mike“ Bloomfield (July 28, 1943 – February 15, 1981)
On the 15th February 1981, an outstanding guitar player passed away:
Mr. Michael Bernard „Mike“ Bloomfield died at the age of only 38 years.
Mike Bloomfied was born on the 28th July 1943 in Chicago, Illinois (USA). Already in his teenage years, Mike was addicted to Blues music and early he began to play with local black musicians like Sleepy John Estes, Yank Rachell and Little Brother Montgomery. Among his early supporters, who recognised Mike’s talent, were B. B. King, Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Buddy Guy and Al Kooper, who said about him: „They knew this was not just another white boy; this was someone who truly understood what the blues were all about.“
In 1964, Mike joined the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, which included Elvin Bishop, Howlin‘ Wolf, Sam Lay and Jerome Arnold. Three years later, Bloomfield left the band, moved to San Francisco and founded Electric Flag with organist Barry Goldberg and singer Nick Gravenites. Drummer Buddy Miles completed the line-up and on the Monterey Pop Festival they performed for the very first time. In April 1968 the debut album „A Long Time Comin‘“ was released. Although the LP received excellent reviews, rivalries and Mike’s heroin abuse took a heavy toll on the band and so Bloomfield left with Gravenites Goldberg and bassist Harvey Brooks.
In 1968, Bloomfield crossed paths with Al Kooper again and they were thinking about, to record a jam album. With Mike’s mates Brooks, Goldberg and with drummer Eddie Hoh, the quintet recorded this legendary album. To complete the sessions, Kooper invited Stephen Stills – and the member of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young added his guitar parts for the LP, which was called „Super Session“ (released in July 1968).
One year later, Bloomfield’s first solo album „It’s Not Killing Me“ hit the stores and he worked with different artists and on several projects. Unfortunately Mike’s heroin addiction grew bigger and bigger and on 15th February 1981 he was found dead in his car. Mike Bloomfield died on an heroin overdors – he was only 38 years old.
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