Elvin Bishop--Fooled Around and Fell in Love (1976)

     Elvin Bishop was born in California, but moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of ten. He was noted in his early years not for his guitar playing, but his academics which got him a full scholarship to the University of Chicago as a National Merit Scholar finalist where he studied Physics.

     It was while in Chicago that he met Paul Butterfield and joined his band which is where he remained for the next 5 years. He went solo in 1968, and began touring the country playing with many of the best blues artists in the country. His first real recognition to me was in 1975, when his song, "Travelin' Shoes" was getting a lot of FM airplay. However, it was the next year that he hit big with, "Fooled Around and Fell in Love"

      Mickey Thomas was a backup singer at the time, and since Bishop didn't think his gravelly voice did the song justice, invited Thomas to sing lead. It turned out to be #3 on the charts, and eventually lead to Thomas being asked to sing with Jefferson Starship. Bishop continues to tour and record today.