MICHAEL BURKS burst onto the national blues scene in 2001 with his Alligator debut, Make It Rain (AL4878). Featuring a killer combination of stinging guitar work and deep soul vocals, the record was swiftly embraced by both blues and mainstream media, getting glowing reviews from Blues Revue, Living Blues and Blues Access, plus a lengthy feature in Living Blues and a cover story in Blues Access. Mainstream media got the Burks buzz, too, with the record receiving raves from Billboard, Guitar One, JazzTimes and Vintage Guitar. Guitar One called Michael “a blues legend in the making.” Blues radio loved the title, placing it in the Top Five of Living Blues’ Radio Chart. Make It Rain has now scanned over 10,000 copies. Michael Burks has also made big strides at street level since his debut release. He has toured practically non-stop throughout the U.S., bringing down houses and converting new fans everywhere he performs. Local media all over the country were won over too, with Michael receiving great coverage in key dailies and weeklies in Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Boston, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Tampa, Sacramento and elsewhere. Tour dates in support of I SMELL SMOKE begin in late June and will see Michael playing for festival and club audiences from coast to coast, including the Buffalo Blues Festival, the Poconos Blues Festival in Pennsylvania and the Great Eastern Blues Festival in Virginia.With Michael Burks well established at blues radio, Alligator will be making a strong push for AAA Radio airplay on I SMELL SMOKE, including radio trade advertising.I SMELL SMOKE is a potent, radio-friendly CD from one of the blues’ brightest young stars. Michael Burks injects blazing guitar fire and gruff vocal passion throughout the disc, from the hard-charging “All Your Affection Is Gone” to funky workouts like “Let The Doorknob Hit You,” to the shimmering ballad “Lie To Me.”