Luke Winslow-King

Biography

Luke Winslow King is a guitarist, singer, composer, and lyricist known for his slide guitar work, and interest in pre-war blues and traditional jazz. Winslow King’s work consists of an eclectic mix, taking in delta-folk music, classical composition, ragtime, and rock and roll; juxtaposing original songs with those from a bygone era.

Following his critically acclaimed Bloodshot Records debut The Coming Tide in 2013, LWK (for brevity’s sake) has been as hardworking a musician as they come. Subsequent tours in the United States and overseas with his singing partner (and now wife) Esther Rose and a mutating band (including the core of upright bassist Cassidy Holden, drummer Benji Bohannon, and trumpeter/keyboardist Ben Polcer) landed the group in front of larger audiences while sharing the stage with the likes of Jack White, Pokey Lafarge, Taj Mahal, Chris Thile, and Rebirth Brass Band. Winslow King’s second release for Bloodshot in as many years, Everlasting Arms finds inspiration in the developmental experiences of life and has LWK & Co. building upon previous creative efforts with a wider scope, exploring a sonically and stylistically panoramic songwriting vision.

It is no secret that Winslow King is a student of the arts and an ambassador for New Orleans’s rich and colorful culture. As a teen he attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts near his hometown of Cadillac, MI. Later he studied music theory at University of New Orleans and eventually received a scholarship to study music abroad in Prague, Czech Republic. Following a chance 2001 move to New Orleans after becoming stranded when his tour van was ransacked, Winslow King’s education continued as he was schooled on the job from frequent, skin-thickening gigs on Royal Street, club performances at various spots along Frenchmen, and pick-up/recording sessions with local standouts including John Boutte, Roberto Luti, Washboard Chaz Leary, Little Freddy King, and George Porter, Jr. In 2013, LWK was nominated as best male performer by Offbeat Magazine, alongside Dr. John and Boutte.