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About Dan C. Gillogly (a.k.a. Bluesman Dan) I learned the blues the old-fashioned way—by sneaking into Chicago’s smoky piano bars with a forged paper driver’s license and a head full of dreams. Born in 1959, I grew up in the suburbs, but the real education started when I started chasing music into the city. Cutting out the ‘9’ on my license and flipping it over, I slipped past bouncers and soaked up legends like Pinetop Perkins, Sunnyland Slim, and Erwin Helfer. I wanted in, so I just asked for the gig. In the ‘70s, that’s all it took. Happy hours on the Northwest Side, clubs near DePaul, and piano jams up by Wrigley after Cubs games—if I had a show, the best players would join, even if I was still finding my groove. It didn’t take long to realize: It paid a lot better to be a “bluesman from Chicago” than just another musician in Chicago. So I hit the road—playing colleges, smoky bars, and anywhere folks wanted to hear real music and raise a little hell. I came of age at a time when the world wasn’t always kind, especially outside city lines. Growing up in the white suburbs, I had to learn fast about the lines drawn by race and power—and the way music could cut through all of it. Chicago was segregated, but out in the sticks, it was even worse. What saved me (and maybe everybody else) was the music. It’s always been about connection, storytelling, and finding your voice—no matter where you come from. Now, I teach what I’ve learned: Blues for real life. No sheet music. No gatekeepers. Just the keys, the groove, and a little bit of that outlaw magic.