Chicago

As a young man on today’s blues scene, Jamiah “Skinny” Rogers is often asked “How do you feel about the blues, and do you see a future in the blues?” His response is enthusiastic, “The blues feels great, it lives through us all, and it will never die”. His energy and enthusiasm for the blues is evident in his electric, highly charged shows. His guitar playing has been described as a “sonic rocket”. His sound is inspired by his heroes including Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, Freddie King, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. His 2024 debut single on Delmark Records Comin’ For Mine is a powerful statement of his future in the blues.

Jamiah was born April 21, 1995 in the south suburbs of Chicago. His mother sang and his father played multiple instruments, focusing on guitar. At the age of three, Jamiah started playing drums at school, church, and in his father’s band, The Tony Rogers Band. There he performed a multitude of genres including funk, soul, rock, reggae, and R&B. His parents encouraged him to learn a variety of instruments with his father mentoring him on guitar. He is well versed on piano, bass, and organ although guitar and drums are his first loves. Rogers and his father also began writing and producing music together when Jamiah was young which taught him how to begin to develop his own sound.

At the age of 15, Jamiah started his first power trio Jamiah On Fire & The Red Machine with his father playing bass. He recorded two cds Taking The Stage (2012) and Winners Never Quit (2015). In 2017, Jamiah recorded his first solo release Blues Superman. Jamiah released his first self produced EP,  Born Again Blues in February of 2021 which consisted of five original songs. He has performed at clubs and festivals across the U.S. and world wide  as a special guest and with his own band. He was asked to be a part of the Experience Hendrix in 2010 and closed the concert out with Billy Cox at the Chicago Theatre. In 2018 Jamiah toured Europe with BMA winner Annika Chambers on the New Blues Generation Tour. He toured with blues legends John Primer and Billy Branch in the UK in 2023.   This summer he brought his unique brand of blues–which he calls Dirty Church Funk– to Lollapalooza on the Chicago Made stage. 

Honoring and respecting the history of Chicago blues while paving the way for the future  is important to Jamiah and a major reason he signed with the venerable Delmark Records.  Many of Chicago’s blues icons have embraced and encouraged him thus far in his career and only see bright things on his horizon. Soon to be his first label release, Jamiah has written and produced another 10 original project and plan to continue his journey.