Norman Beaker, born Norman Hume on June 21, 1950, in Manchester, England, is a blues guitarist and vocalist active since the early 1970s. He taught himself guitar at age seven after an accident. His first public performance was at a holiday camp competition, appearing on the Lonnie Donegan show at age twelve. Influenced by Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters, Beaker formed his first band, Morning After, in the late 1960s. He later joined Victor Brox’s Blues Train and formed No Mystery, backing Louisiana Red on TV and touring widely. Beaker organized the Alexis Korner Memorial Concert in 1994, which featured performances by Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and other notable musicians. In 1985, he formed the Norman Beaker Band, releasing The Older I Get, the Better I Was in 1997. Throughout his career, Beaker has collaborated with many blues artists, including Graham Bond, Jack Bruce, Chuck Berry, B.B. King, and Long John Baldry.
