Nick Gravenites

Nick Gravenites

Genres: blues, blues rock, Berlin, guitar, rhythm and blues

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About Nick Gravenites

Nick Gravenites (born Nicholas George Gravenites in Chicago, Illinois, on 2 October 2, 1938; died 18 September 2024) (aka Nick "The Greek" Gravenites and Gravy) was an American blues, rock and folk singer–songwriter remembered for his work with Janis Joplin and Mike Bloomfield, and several influential bands (including co-founding Electric Flag) and individuals of the generation springing from the 1960s and 1970s. Gravenites attended the University of Chicago, met Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield, became a fan of blues music, and learned guitar. He regularly patronized clubs where Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy and other leading blues musicians played. Gravenites spent time both in Chicago and San Francisco in the early 1960s. He wrote the song "Born in Chicago", which became the opening track on the Paul Butterfield Blues Band debut album, and, with guitarist Bloomfield, co-wrote the title track of their second album, East-West. Gravenites wrote Janis Joplin's song "Buried Alive In The Blues", but she died the night before her scheduled time in the studio and the song appeared as an instrumental on her album. He co-formed Electric Flag with Butterfield guitarist Mike Bloomfield. He was also responsible for writing the score for The Trip. Gravenites also worked extensively with John Cipollina after producing the first Quicksilver Messenger Service album. The two formed the Nick Gravenites–John Cipollina Band which toured a lot in Europe. Gravenites was inducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame in 2003 for his song "Born In Chicago". He formed the short lived Blue Gravy and joined Big Brother And The Holding Company early in 1969 staying until early 1972. He was involved with the Taj Mahal-Mike Bloomfield live album, and again in 1973 with Steelyard Blues. He also formed the Nick Gravenites Blues Band in 1978 and that year he joined Huey Lewis' Monday Nite Live sessions which disbanded by the end of that year. Gravenites himself recorded Bluestar which was also released on Line in 1980 with John Cipollina on guitar, Huey Lewis on harp who, at that time, was an in-demand session player who, after Clover's demise, played harp also on albums by Phil Lynott, Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds and City Boy. The album Monkey Medicine was recorded in Germany after Nick and John finished their European tour. Under very primitive conditions they recorded this album in Hamburg accompanied by Marcus David on drums and Al Staehely on bass/vocals. In late 1984 Gravenites was again a member of one of John Cipollina's many projects, Thunder and Lightning, in San Francisco. During the last few years Gravenites regularly played the psychedelic blues in a small club called the Bodega Bay Grange, Marin County, joined by Doug Kilmer on bass, Mark Adams, harp, and Roy Blumenfeld on drums. The German Taxim label released one of these 1994 concerts on CD in 1996. 1999 saw the release of yet another Gravenites' solo album on which Huey Lewis plays harmonica again. He released his last album Rogue Blues in 2024.

Taken from Last.fm

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