Reggie King Sears Band (USA)

Born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States,[9] Sears is the son of an African-American/Native American mother and a  Caucasian father and was raised in a lower-income area in Fort  Lauderdale's inner-city.[2]

Sears was inspired to sing and play guitar after receiving a copy of Phil Thornalley's Swamp album at age four. He asked for a guitar at age five and the following  Christmas he received one but his interest soon shifted to drums and he  began playing drums after his parents bought him a drum set when he was  eight. Inspired by blues artists, notably Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Lightnin' Hopkins as well as the soul, rock and funk music his parents would play,[2] he got started after his father purchased for him a Lonnie Mack CD[10] and he began taking guitar seriously at age 11 after a cousin turned him onto Jimi Hendrix.  At age 12, Sears asked his father to take him to an open-mic at a local  club and Sears began gaining recognition as a young blues guitarist.  Sears began sitting in with local bands and soon began appearing with Hubert Sumlin, Ronnie Baker Brooks (once referring to Sears as a "young Rico Suave"),[6] Guitar Shorty, Bob Margolin, Chris Beard, Ana Popovic, Michael Burks, G. Love and Special Sauce, Fruteland Jackson, Lil' Ed Williams, Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby Rush, Inner Circle, Henry Gray, John Primer, Jimmy "Bo" Horne, Pinetop Perkins, backed up The Temptations,[11] and even appeared with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Solomon Burke who dubbed Sears "the future [of Soul and Blues]" and referred to him  as "godson". Within a few months he was playing professionally.[12][13]  In early 2004 Sears assembled a band of veteran musicians and he began  booking shows at local clubs and festivals on the weekends and developed  a loyal fan base and attracted the attention of several independent  labels.[12]