Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne, born May 6, 1957, in Shreveport, Louisiana, is an American guitarist and singer. He began playing guitar at age four and was influenced by The Meters' performances in New Orleans during his youth. By age seventeen, Welbourne left home to travel around the South, performing in various settings. In 1980, he formed The Killer Bees with Michael E. Johnson and Stanton Hoffman. The band became one of the first American groups to perform at Reggae Sunsplash in Montego Bay, Jamaica, in 1988. Welbourne adopted the nickname "Papa Mali" during this period. After The Killer Bees disbanded, he released his debut solo album Thunder Chicken in 1999. He later released Do Your Thing in 2007. Throughout his career, Welbourne has collaborated with notable artists such as Bill Kreutzmann, George Porter Jr., Willie Nelson, and Henry Butler.
