(The Southside Shuffle)
(b. 1954, Edmonton, Alberta)
Linsey Umrysh is one of the principal blues drummers to emerge out of the Edmonton blues scene, most notably with the ground-breaking band Hot Cottage (circa 1970s to the present).
As children, both Linsey and Rusty Reed banged away on pots and pans. This early musical interest progressed to drums for Linsey, and harmonica for Rusty. They would later in life join up as members of Rusty Reed and The South Side Shuffle.
By the time he was ten, Linsey was playing along with albums by the Ventures and Sandy Nelson, and other albums that had a heavy drum presence. As a grade 12 student, he had his first gig playing with Hot Cottage and remains their drummer, now forty years on.
Linsey’s influences as a drummer and percussionist include Gene Krupa, Richie Hayward and the master of Chicago Blues, Freddy Below who was the man behind Little Walter when he recorded in the 1950s on Chess Records. These recordings were a major influence on The Southside Shuffle and had a strong sway on the excellent rhythm section of Linsey and Fred LaRose. This influence can also be seen in the brilliant lead guitar playing of Al Hartley, all led by the forceful and exuberant Rusty Reed on harmonica and vocals.
Linsey was an important part of that exciting time in Edmonton in the early 1970s when Hot Cottage recorded the landmark album Big Walter Horton with Hot Cottage (1971) and the glory days of The Hovel, then the focal point for folk, roots and blues music in Edmonton.
While Linsey was developing as a musician, he continued his education in the field of audio electronics and attended N.A.I.T. where he earned a degree in Electronic Engineering. “I had no idea it would help open some future doors for me”. As a result of his electronic and musical development, along with a keen interest in the recording process, Larry Wanagas offered Linsey a job as a recording engineer at Homestead Recorders. And in 1981, Linsey opened Edmonton Audio Works to provide a service and repair to the musical and recording industries.
The payoff for Linsey was his ability to assemble recording equipment, and record, mix and release Rusty Reed and The South Side Shuffle’s album Stairway To The Blues. From 1985 to 1989, Rusty Reed and The Southside Shuffle and the Rault Brothers were the preeminent blues band in Edmonton.
Earlier in his career, Linsey also played with Easy Walker, Tacoy Ryde and Swingin’ Richard. He has also backed up a number of major blues acts on the main stage at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival most notably Amos Garret & David Bergin, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Dr. John and Maria Muldaur. With his growing talent, Lindsey was recruited to play with Amos Garret & the Eh Team (1982-83) and Dave Bergin and the Nightshades (1983-84). He also played with Chicago blues guitar master Otis Rush.
Linsey remains an influence to a long list of fine blues drummers including Scott Anderson, Sandro Dominelli,Thom Moon, Chris Nordquist, Jeff Lisk, Bill Hobson and Grant Stovel.
The Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame is pleased to induct Linsey Umrysh of Rusty Reed and The South Side Shuffle into the Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame in the Performer category for 2016.