Branch was born at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital in North Chicago, Illinois, United States. His family moved from Chicago to
Los Angeles when he was five years old. At ten years of age he bought his first harmonica at a Los Angeles Woolworth store. He immediately began playing simple tunes and melodies. After that initial purchase, Billy was never without a harmonica. In 1969 he moved back to Chicago to attend the University of Illinois. eventually he graduated from UIC with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science
University of Illinois at Chicago. Since then, Branch has played on over 250 different recordings, including 12 under his own name. He has recorded with Willie Dixon, Keb Mo, Johnny Winter,
Lou Rawls,
Koko Taylor,
Eddy Clearwater,
Honeyboy Edwards,
Syl Johnson, Lurrie Bell, Ronnie Baker Brooks, and
Taj Mahal. He has received three Grammy nominations (losing one nomination to B.B. King and Eric Clapton). He served two consecutive terms on the Grammy Board of Governors and currently is chairman of the Grammy Blues Committee. He has won multiple
Blues Music Awards, an Emmy Award, an Addy Award, two Chicago Music Awards, and numerous humanitarian and achievement awards. The 2007 Chicago Blues Festival honored the 30th anniversary of Billy Branch and the Sons of Blues. Likewise, in 2017 the Chicago Blues Fest celebrated the 40th anniversary of Billy Branch and the SOBs. and Branch at the
Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival Branch annually appears at major festivals around the world, including the Montreux Blues Festival, the North Sea Blues Festival, the Cognac Blues Festivals and
Long Beach Blues Festival, the
Chicago Blues Festival, the
San Francisco Blues Festival and the
North Sea Jazz Festival. The current lineup of the Sons of Blues consists of Branch (harmonica and vocals), Andrew "Blaze" Thomas (drums and vocals), Sumito Ariyoshi (keyboards and vocals), Marvin Little (bass and vocals), and Giles Corey (guitar and vocals). His 2019 recording,
Roots and Branches: The Songs of Little Walter, was chosen as a 'Favorite Blues Album' by
AllMusic. He can also be seen in several
Playing for Change music clips. ==See also==