Glen (Lightnin') Stewart

Glen plays lead, rhythm & slide guitar, and shares in the vocal chores. He has been playing for 20 years in various Northwest clubs and dives from Alaska & Canada to the greater Seattle area. He was an original founding member of "Blue Lights" in Seattle who recorded Mount St. Helens Blues several weeks before the Northwest's most famous volcano blew its top. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but spent his formative years in Fargo, North Dakota, which seems a strange place from which to get involved into the blues from. But, when you think of it, Fargo is a place that definitely can give one the blues. He has been privileged to have opened for Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Elvin Bishop, Chambers Brothers and Norton Buffalo. He likes all types of music from blues (his favorite), R&B, vintage rock and roll, to Country and even garage bands. He's happiest just playing his guitar and basically entertaining. He'll do whatever it takes to get a reaction from the crowd. He has been known to play his guitar behind his back, with his teeth, and even get out on the dance floor and dance while playing his guitar. His main influences and inspiration come from Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Freddy King, Albert King, Magic Sam, Buddy Guy, Elmore James and Chuck Berry. One of his favorite anecdotes was when he first met Muddy Waters in Phoenix, AZ. He says, "Basically, all I could do was stare in awe at Muddy. I couldn't muster up enough nerve to shake his hand. It was kind of like in Wayne's World where the Garth character says, "I'm not worthy."" He is currently working on a "Blue Five-Five" CD of six originals with the remainder cover tunes due for release in late summer or early fall of 2001.