SHIRLEY — Chicago blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Ronnie Baker Brooks will blues it up on the Bull Run stage Friday, starting at 8 p.m.
Son of Chicago blues musician Lonnie Brooks and brother of blues guitarist Wayne Baker Brooks, Brooks was born in 1967.
“We all would walk around the house trying to imitate Dad playing brooms,” said Brooks, whose first time on stage was with his father at Pepper’s Hideout in Chicago.
“It was an awesome feeling. I’d do anything to get that feeling again,” he said. “We all wanted to be like Dad. In 1975, he went to Europe doing a tour. Before he left, I said, ‘Dad can I go with you?’ He said if I learned to play two songs, I could get up on stage with him when he came back.”
Weeks went by, and he practiced hard. When his father pulled up outside the family home, Ronnie rushed out to meet him. He’d learned “Messin’ with the Kid” by Junior Wells and Lowell Fulson’s “Reconsider Baby.”
“He got out of the cab, and I couldn’t play for him fast enough,” said Brooks.
His father kept his word. It was around Ronnie’s ninth birthday. His mom bought him a suit the same color as his dad wore, and he planned to play a Gibson SG, the same guitar his father had played. The mood ring he was wearing the night of the show had turned many different colors.
“I was so nervous, but my mom said, ‘Just play like you do at home,'” said Brooks. “They thought it was my dad, they were throwing me money. I think I made more than Dad! I was floatin’ for a week My dad was so proud of me.”
The senior Brooks never forced his sons to play.
“But if you were into it, he would play all day with you,” Brooks recalled. “He wanted to keep us out of trouble, so he kept us active with music and family games, and it worked.”
Brooks joined his father’s band in 1986 and played guitar on his album, “Live From Chicago: Bayou Lightning Strikes,” released in 1988 by Alligator Records.
In 1998, he pursued a solo career. His debut album, “Golddigger,” was released the same year by Watchdog Records and produced by Janet Jackson. It was nominated for a Blues Music Award in 2000 for Best New Artist.
“At the time, I was a little afraid, but my dad said, ‘You got this great record “Golddigger.” You need to go out there and support it, and if it doesn’t work out you can always come back.’ He was my best friend, my mentor and my father. I miss him, but I am grateful that God gave me 50 years of my life with him,” said Brooks, who lost his father in April.
“All of my life, he taught everything I know — not everything he knew. He wanted to keep me in check,” said Brooks, who said the music has been a healer.
“Take Me Witcha” was released in 2001. In 2006, “Torch” was released, with contributions from his father, and it was described by the Boston Herald as “ferocious and unrelenting” and possibly that year’s “best blues album.” In 2012, blues journalist David Brais declared Brooks “blues royalty” for his particular brand of Chicago-style blues known around the world.
When he’s up on stage, Brooks thinks about how his music can touch people.
“I love to see people having a good time, smilin’. That’s double pleasure for me, and if I can do it playing music, it’s an awesome feeling. I love music. I love people. It’s a great union. Once that energy gets rollin’, it becomes an experience.”
The singer-songwriter hopes he can give his audience a good time and have them going home with a good feeling.
“I’m looking forward to coming to the Bull Run,” he said. “It’ll be my first time playing there. I hope people can come out, and if they can’t, I hope they can spread the word!”
Visit ronniebakerbrooks.com to learn more. For tickets go to tickets.bullrunrestaurant.com.
Weekend Best Bets
Music
Howie Day: Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley. Go to tickets.bullrunrestaurant.com
Audio Wasabi with Amanda Cote: Thursday, 9 p.m. Gardner Ale House, 74 Parker St.
Also at Gardner Ale House:
* Eric Love: Friday, 9 p.m.
* Goldrush: Saturday, 9 p.m.
* Sunday Live Jazz Brunch Buffet: Jimmy Morrell and Friends
* Blue Mondays with The Clavis Brudon Band: 7 p.m.
Live Music: Thursdays, 4 p.m.-midnight at Café Destaré Martini Bar, 320 Main St., Fitchburg. Visit www.destare.com.
Dance
Little Red & The Riders with Dance2Swing Dance Lesson and Swing Band: Doors open at 6 p.m., Leominster Elks Lodge, 164 N. Main Street. Visit www.dance2swing.com
Shows and Events
Worcester Comedy Blowout: Friday, 8 p.m. Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, Worcester. Visit thehanovertheatre.org.
Also at Hanover:
* Central Mass Dance Academy’s 12th Annual Recital: “Beauty & The Beast,” 11 a.m. Saturday; 2 p.m., 6 p.m., 50 Foster St., for more info visit dcucenter.com.
Exhibits
“Evoking Eleanor — Founder’s Work”: Fitchburg Art Museum, 185 Elm St. fitchburgartmuseum.org
Also at Fitchburg Art Museum:
* FAM Summer Party: Friday, 6-8 p.m. Opening of the Regional Exhibition of Art & Craft 82
* Intermediate Drawing Class Starts: Saturday, 1-3 p.m.
“From the Vault — Icons of Ethiopia”: On view through Aug. 13, Museum of Russian Icons, 203 Union St. Clinton, visit www.museumofrussianicons.org.
Also at Museum of Russian Icons:
* “Fantastic Beasts in Iconography”: on view until Sept. 24.
Shih Chieh Huang: Opens Saturday, 55 Salisbury St. Worcester Art Museum. Visit www.worcesterart.org.
Also at Worcester Art Museum:
* “John O’Reilly — A Studio Odyssey”
* “Reinstallation of the Medieval Galleries”
* “Master Vases from Ancient Greece”
* “Highest Heaven: Spanish and Portuguese Art”: Opens Saturday
Literary Spirit at Fruitlands Museum and the Old Manse: On view until November 5, 2017, 102 Prospect Hill Road, Harvard or visit fruitlands.org.
Also at Fruitlands:
* Literary Soil: Greg Lookerse, until Aug. 20.
* Landscape and Portrait paintings: Permanent collection on view.
* Summer Concert Series: The Concert Band, Thursday, 7-9 p.m.
* Transcendental Wild Oats Read-a-thon: Saturday, 1-4 p.m.
* Writing Workshop Series with Michele Order Litant: Tuesday, 10-11:30 a.m., please register.
Comedy
Dick Doherty’s Comedy Escape featuring Mike MacDonald, Drew Dunn And Friends: Friday, 9 p.m., Saturday, 8 p.m., Worcester. 257 Park Ave., Dick’s Comedy Escape, visit Worcester. Worcester.laughstub.com
At the Library
Knit and Crochet: Thursday, 1-3 p.m. Ages 10 and up, 610 Main St. Fitchburg Library.
Also at Fitchburg Library:
* Finnish Conversation Group: Monday, 6:30-8 p.m.
* Thai Chi Class Intermediate: Tuesday, 2-3:30 p.m.
* Peer Support Meeting: Wednesday, 10-11 a.m.
* Citizenship Class: Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Public Reception in Honor of Susan Shelton: Thursday, 6-8 p.m., Leominster Public Library, 30 West St.
Also at the Leominster:
* Thursday Evening Book Sale: 6-8 p.m.
* Game Night for Grown-ups: Friday, 6-10 p.m.
* Genealogy Saturday with the Central Mass Genealogical Society: 10 a.m.-noon.
* X-Teen Novel Society: A book group for grown-ups who enjoy young adult fiction: Tuesday, 7-8:30 p.m.
Color Your Stress Away: Adult Coloring Drop-in, Tuesday, 2-3 p.m. Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave.
Also at Lunenburg Library:
* Massachusetts Brain Injury Association: Tuesday, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Family Best Bets
Puppet Show
“Aladdin”: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., Drawbridge Puppet Theatre, 1335 Mass Ave., Lunenburg.
At the Library
Lego Club: Thursday, 3:30-4:30 p.m., 610 Main St. Fitchburg Library
Also at Fitchburg Library:
* Riverfront Children’s Theater: Thursday, 6-7:30 p.m.
* STEAM Play at the Garden: Friday, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
* Gaming: Friday, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
* Read, Build, Play with Duplos: Monday, 10:30-11 a.m.
* Maker Mondays: 4-5 p.m.
* Pokemon Game Night: Monday, 6-7 p.m.
* Story Time: Tuesday, 10:30-11 a.m.
* Afternoon Crafts: Tuesday, 4-4:45 p.m.
* Giant Erector Set: Tuesday, 6-7:30 p.m.
* The Owls Book Club: Wednesday, 4-5 p.m.
* Yoga Story-time: Wednesday, 6-6:30 p.m.
Dig in!: Monday, 10-11 a.m., 30 West St., Leominster Library.
Also at Leominster Library:
* Paper Strip Animal Art: Monday, 3-4 p.m.
* Amazing Girls Book Club: Tuesday, 7-8 p.m.
* Kids’ Cooking Program — Winner, Winner Stuffed Shell Dinner: Wednesday, 2-3 p.m., 3:30-4:30 p.m.
* Anime & Manga Society @ The Bob: Wednesday, 6:30-9 p.m.
Tots ‘n’ Blocks: Monday, 10-10:45 a.m., 1023 Main St., Lunenburg Library.
Also at Lunenburg Library:
* Summer Reading Program Begins!: Monday, 11 a.m.-noon.
* Meals 4 Kids: Monday and Wednesday, 12-1 p.m.
* Teen Summer Reading Kick Off — Edible Architecture: Monday, 2-3 p.m.
* Lunch Bunch: Tuesday, noon-1 p.m.
* Teen Screen Tuesday: “The Lego Movie,” Tuesday, 2-4 p.m.
* Jack the Lego Maniac: Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Check your local libraries for passes and special events.
