Mark Lemhouse

A fan of blues from an early age, guitarist Mark Lemhouse was born into a family of musicians. Learning to play at the age of 11, Lemhouse became a dedicated follower of the genre, taking in whatever he could hear while developing his own sound. Alternately cutting his teeth on the live circuit, Lemhouse moved to Memphis and picked up the drums while working with Robert Belfour. Also learning the Mississippi blues technique of avoiding chord changes, Lemhouse began to absorb the idea that blues could be played on any instrument. Testing this theory in the Blues Foundation 2002 International Blues Challenge, he ranked as a finalist and enjoyed sharing the stage with his band, the Handy Three. Also working with the Bluff City Backsliders during this time, he started working on his own music and eventually released Big Lonesome Radio on Yellow Dog Records by the end of the year.