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CHRIS CAIN – ABLE AND WILLING

By Lawrence Lebo

Chris Cain and I have a lot in common! We both hail from
California (USA). Both raised in middle-class, multi-ethnic
families, and were exposed to great music by our parents
- one of whom played an instrument extremely well, yet
not professionally. We both started performing at a

young
age, and
we both sought out
higher education as adults.
We have both worked our way up in our

profession the hard way … and … we both
belong to that group of artists who define the
West Coast Blues sound.

Chris first made his name playing in guitar
legend Robbin Ford’s band. Chris’s 1986 debut
record on Ford’s Rock’It Records label titled
Late Night City Blues brought Chris and his
band nominations for four W.C. Handy Awards
(now Blues Music Awards), including “Best
Instrumentalist – Guitar” and “Blues Band of
the Year.” Festival gigs and international
touring followed, opening for many big-name
blues artists including the two famous “A’s”,
Albert Collins and Albert King. Chris is
currently nominated for two Blues Foundation
music awards (BMA) including Contemporary
Blues Male Artist, and Instrumentalist – Guitar.

His fifteenth release Raisin’ Cain (his first for
Alligator Records), contains 12 new tracks
written by Chris and produced by Kid Andersen
of Rick Estrin and the Nightcats fame. The
album contains heartfelt and sometimes brutally honest lyrics, a variety of great grooves, and of
course Chris’s trademark gruff vocals and inimitable guitar work. In addition, we get a taste of
Chris on the keys, clavinet and ARP Soloist (synth)! The album has a “live” feel and is
everything one would expect from the veteran artist/performer.

I asked Chris to tell us about his life, career and his new release Raisin’Cain. This is what he told
me …

LL: You credit your parents for exposing you to the blues and great music. Can you tell
us about them and how they did that?

CC: My father was a truck driver, but he loved the blues, and he didn't force it onto me, but

he just sat me in front of it when I was very little. He knew where BB King was playing back
in the 1960's before internet and before Thrill Is Gone. He would always know where he was