Dale Storr

Dale Storr

Dale Storr is a British pianist and bandleader associated with blues and New Orleans piano styles. He grows up in rural Lincolnshire and first develops his musical interests through his parents’ record collection, which includes early rock and roll and country music. He begins playing piano at six and is influenced by artists including Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino and Floyd Cramer.

As a child, he wins a number of school and county music competitions as a solo instrumentalist. He also starts performing live in local venues at ten, playing organ. He later moves to Sheffield, where he plays with local bands, including Frank White’s group.

Storr’s playing is shaped by New Orleans musicians such as Professor Longhair, Dr John, Allen Toussaint, Tuts Washington and James Booker. Booker in particular becomes a major influence, and Storr studies Booker’s piano and vocal technique closely. His repertoire also includes a range of New Orleans styles, from minuet and latin rhumba to back-o’-town blues and boogie woogie.

He performs with a number of other musicians over the years, including Alan Nimmo of the Nimmo Brothers, Kevin Thorpe, Dave Berry, Earl Thomas, Rocky Athas and Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges. He also supports acts such as Duke Robillard and Henry Butler. In March 2006, he gives his debut theatre performance as a soloist, concentrating on New Orleans piano styles. The response to those performances leads him to add vocals, drums, bass and horns, forming The Dale Storr Band with musicians from the British blues scene.

Since then, he works under the Dale Storr Band name and continues to focus on New Orleans-influenced music, especially the piano traditions that he identifies as his central ambition.