Ronnie Baker Brooks

Blues In My DNA

Alligator Records

Ronnie Baker Brooks was born Rodney Dion Baker in Chicago, Illinois. At the age of nine he first appeared on stage alongside his father Lonnie Brooks. Ronnie learned bass and joined his father’s band in 1986; he plays on his father’s album “Live From Chicago: Bayou Lightning Strikes”, also on Alligator, in 1988. Ronnie was part of Alligator Records’ 20th Anniversary Tour alongside Koko Taylor, Elvin Bishop, and Lil’ Ed Williams. That same year Ronnie released his own debut album “Golddigger”, produced by Janet Jackson, on the Watchdog label, and in 2000 received his first Blues Music Award nomination for Best New Artist. Follow-up albums included 2001’s “Take Me Witcha”, 2006’s “The Torch”, and his last album 2017’s “Times Have Changed” on the Provogue label. Overall Ronnie has six BMA nominations.

“Blues in My DNA”, Ronnie’s Alligator debut was produced, recorded and mixed by Jim Gaines. All of the songs were written by Ronnie except for one co-written with Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd & The Monsters. The album opens with “I’m Feeling You” and the lyric “In the morning, late at night…I wanna be close to you…you’ll be mine”. It is followed by “Lonnie Brook’s Blessing”, a short interlude, with Lonnie’s voice as he introduces Ronnie “to keep these blues alive”.

The title track “Blues In My DNA” is a hard rockin’ blues, as Ronnie belts out “I’m not complaining, I’m just explaining I got the blues in my DNA”. Ronnie’s incandescent guitar and vocal is accompanied by the rhythm guitarist Will McFarlane, electric pianist Rick Steff, bassist Dave Smith, and drummer Steve Potts. “My Love Will Make You Do Right”, includes all of the above musicians with the addition of Clayton Ivey added on the Hammond B-3.

“Accept My Love” is a Memphis styled soul ballad and a tribute to Ronnie’s mother, Jeannine Baker, who passed away in 2023; Brad Quinn is on saxophones while Drew White plays trumpet. “All True Man” is the song co-written with Big Head Todd. Ronnie plays some fiery guitar on the stone cold “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul”. “Instant Gratification” follows.

On “I Got to Make You Mine” Ronnie’s blistering and innovative guitar shines, “I’m down here in Tennessee, headed for Chicago…I got to make you mine, give me your hand, and I’ll see you hurt no more”. “Stuck On Stupid” is a new version of one of Ronnie’s originals, “I give you all my money, you go shopping downtown…I think I’m stuck on stupid, I ain’t your new kind of fool…I call you on your telephone, you’re always on the other line, I think I’m stuck on stupid, I ain’t your new kind of fool”.

I Found A Dollar Looking For a Dime”, “oh, she’s so fine…I just came out to have a good time, with an old friend of mine…I found a dollar looking for a dime”. The closer is the shuffle “My Boo”, “tell me baby, what am I have to do, I’ll give up my life, just to have one with you”, it is another great vocal with some more illuminating guitar.

Now, with “Blues In My DNA”, Ronnie has brought to the studio exactly what has made him a thrilling live artist. He’s unleashed his full intensity with some tough, hard-rocking blues. And with Alligator’s marketing, promotion and distribution, Ronnie’s music will come to a larger audience than ever before. It’s in his DNA.

Richard Ludmerer

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