Lacy Gibson

by Bill DahlSlowly returning to musical action following major surgery, guitarist Lacy Gibson has been an underappreciated figure on the Windy City circuit for decades. Lacy and his family left North Carolina for Chicago in 1949. It didnt take long for Gibson to grow entranced by the local action — he learned from veterans Sunnyland Slim and Muddy Waters and picked up pointers from immaculate axemen Lefty Bates, Matt Guitar Murphy, and Wayne Bennett. Gibson made a name for himself as a session player in 1963, assuming rhythm guitar duties on sides by Willie Mabon for USA, Billy The Kid Emerson for M-Pac!, and Buddy Guy on Chess. Gibson made his vocal debut on the self-penned blues ballad My Love Is Real at Chess the same year, though it wasnt released at the time (when it belatedly emerged, it was mistakenly attributed to Guy). A couple of bargain basement 45s for the remarkably obscure Repeto logo (thats precisely where they were done — in Lacy Gibsons basement!) preceded Gibsons inconsistent album debut for then-brother-in-law Sun Ras El Saturn label. Ralph Bass produced an album by Gibson in 1977, but the results werent issued at the time (Delmark is currently releasing the set domestically). A stint as Son Sealss rhythm axeman (hes on Sealss Live and Burning LP) provided an entree to Alligator Records, which included four fine sides by Gibson on its second batch of Living Chicago Blues anthologies in 1980. Best of all was a Dick Shurman-produced album for the Dutch Black Magic logo in 1982, Switchy Titchy, that brilliantly spotlighted Gibsons clean fretwork and hearty vocals. After he regained his health in the mid-90s, Lacy Gibson entered the studio and recorded Crying for My Baby, which was released in 1996.