The West Centre in Aldershot gets a taste of Louisiana when one of the most important artists in blues, Sherman Robertson, arrives in town on Wednesday, December 3.

Sherman was born in Beaux Bridge, Louisiana and raised in Houston, Texas. While still in high school he was recruited by his music teacher, Conrad Johnson, to play in his popular group, Connie’s Combo.

As a teenager in the late 1960s, he spent six weeks on the road as lead guitarist with blues superstar Bobby “Blue” Bland and also backed Junior Parker.

That gave Sherman the incentive to form his own band, Sherman Robertson and the Crosstown Blues Band, with whom he recorded two albums on the Lunar II label.

During the 1970s, Robertson was content playing weekends while raising a family and holding down a “regular” job until Clifton Chenier, “the king of zydeco”, asked him to do some dates with his band.

Those few dates turned into five years, as Robertson toured Europe and the US with Chenier. He then joined Terrance Simien’s hot zydeco band, briefly playing with Rockin’ Dopsie, Johnny Clyde Copeland and several other well-known artists.

The word on his talent began to spread – Paul Simon needed a guitar player to add some sounds to his Graceland album and he wasted no time in choosing Robertson for the legendary record.

Legendary British producer Mike Vernon signed Robertson to Atlantic Records in 1994, and his first solo recording, I’m The Man, was nominated for a WC Handy Award.

Ticket from the box office on 01252 330040 or at www.westendcentre.co.uk