Chicago blues singer/harpist Bill Lupkin was born in Fort Wayne, IN in 1947; first exposed to the music of key influences like Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Jimmy Reed by his older brother, he began playing the drums at 17, moving to harmonica two years later. Upon relocating to the Windy City in 1968, Lupkin joined the Aces, followed by a lengthy stint backing Jimmy Rogers; he continued playing the local circuit in the years to follow, eventually forming his own backing band, the Chicago Blues Coalition, which for a time included teen guitar phenom Lil' Frank Krakowski. Lupkin's debut album Live at the Hot Spot appeared on Blue Loon in late 1999. ~ Jason Ankeny