Snooks Eaglin

A certified New Orleans classic, blessed with serious blues guitar skills. After losing his sight as a youngster, Eaglin put his efforts into developing the ability to play in many styles, earning a spot in Allen Toussaint's first band, and later gigs with artists such as Professor Longhair. Eaglin began by playing acoustic, finger-picked blues on the streets of New Orleans, accompanied by washboard and blues harp, before he got himself an R&B-flavored Soul band and lit up the town with his ripping electric guitar solos. His acoustic playing is earthy with dexterous picking, while his electric tone is meaty and thick without relying on distortion. Vocally, Eaglin has a Ray Charles-influenced style that's fortified with a bit of a bayou accent.