Mike Bloomfield - Interview Part 1 - 1971

Dan McClosky interviews Mike Bloomfield in Part One of this radio show which was recorded in 1971. Mike was an incredibly talented and creative blues guitar player who achieved rock stardom in the 60s. He was extremely influential to budding blues guitarists and a great many musicians owe a dept of gratitude to him. He grew up in Chicago and saw and played with many of the great blues artists of the that era. He joined the Paul Butterfield Blues Band in 1965 and that mix of musicians formed one of the best blues bands of all time. Mike and Paul spread the word about the Chicago blues artists and that helped to rejuvenate the careers of B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Muddy Waters, and others. Bloomfield backed Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival when Dylan went electric, and he played on Dylan's first electric album, Highway 61. After Mike left the Butterfield Band, he formed the Electric Flag and played at the Monterey Pop Festival. He achieved major fame with his outstanding guitar playing on the album Super Sessions. He died tragically in 1981 at age 37.