{{short description|American singer-songwriter}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Rusty Zinn | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|4|3|mf=y}} | birth_place = Long Beach, California, United States | death_date = | instrument = Guitar, vocals | genre = Electric blues,<ref name="AMG"/> reggae | occupation = Guitarist, singer-songwriter | years_active = 1980s–present | label = Black Top, Alligator, Bad Daddy Records, 9 Above Records | website = {{URL|www.rustyreggae.com}} }}
'''Rusty Zinn''' (born April 3, 1970 in Long Beach, California, United States) is an American electric blues and reggae guitarist and singer-songwriter.<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="Bad Daddy"/> Zinn released six albums between 1996 and 2009, on Black Top, Alligator, Bad Daddy, and 9 Above Records. He has worked with Mark Hummel, Kim Wilson, Larry Taylor, and Sly Dunbar.
==Biography== Zinn was raised in Northern California, and was introduced to music via both his mother's and brother's record collections. He bought blues recordings himself, intrigued by guitar players such as Robert Lockwood, Jr., Eddie Taylor, and Jimmy Rogers. Having practised the drums as a youngster, Zinn purchased his first guitar at the age of seventeen, and then witnessed Luther Tucker perform in concert with Rogers. Within twelve months, Tucker invited Zinn onstage and gave him some guitar playing advice.<ref name="AMG"/> By the late 1980s, Zinn was playing in several Bay Area bands, and had backed both Rogers and Snooky Pryor.<ref name="Bad Daddy"/>
A spell in Mark Hummel's backing band The Blues Survivors followed, and he later met Kim Wilson at the 1992 San Francisco Blues Festival. Subsequently, Zinn joined Wilson's band, alongside the former Canned Heat bassist, Larry Taylor, and played on Wilson's 1993 album ''Tigerman''.<ref name="AMG"/> He also toured, and played on Wilson's 1994 effort, ''That's Life''.<ref name="Russell">{{cite book | first= Tony | last= Russell | year= 1997 | title= The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray | edition= | publisher= Carlton Books Limited | location= Dubai | isbn= 1-85868-255-X | page= 110}}</ref>
In 1996, Zinn released his solo debut album, ''Sittin' & Waitin' '', on Black Top Records, which saw Wilson act as both accompanist and record producer.<ref name="AMG"/> It earned Zinn a Blues Music Award nomination as 'Best New Blues Artist'.<ref name="Bad Daddy"/> ''Confessin''' was issued by Zinn in 1999, and then ''The Chill'' (2000), featuring Elvin Bishop on slide guitar. Zinn's more recent issues included ''Zinfidelity, Vol. 1'' (2005) and ''Reggaeblue'' (2007).<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|author=Richard Skelly |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/rusty-zinn-mn0000807939/biography |title=Rusty Zinn | Biography |publisher=AllMusic |date=April 3, 1970 |accessdate=January 28, 2014}}</ref> The latter fused blues, reggae and soul stylings.<ref name="Bad Daddy">{{cite web |url=http://www.baddaddy.com/artists_zinn.html |title=Rusty Zinn|publisher=Badaddy.com|accessdate=October 22, 2010}}</ref>
In 2009, Zinn released ''Manifestation'', which was recorded in Jamaica, and included contributions from Sly Dunbar, Robbie Lynn, Boris Gardiner and Scully Simms.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://jahworks.org/torr/rusty-zinn-manifestation/#.YcxoEGjP2F4|title=Manifestation : Rusty Zinn : CD Review|website=Jahworks.org|access-date=December 29, 2021}}</ref>
==Discography== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !Album title !Record label !Year of release |- |''Sitting' & Waiting''' |Black Top Records |1996 |- |''Confessin''' |Black Top Records |1999 |- |''The Chill'' |Alligator Records |2000 |- |''Zinfidelity, Vol. 1'' |Bad Daddy Records |2005 |- |''Reggaeblue'' |Bad Daddy Records |2007 |- |''Manifestation'' |9 Above Records |2009 |- |''The Reggae Soul of Rusty Zinn''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-reggae-soul-of-rusty-zinn-mw0002806861 |title=The Reggae Soul of Rusty Zinn – Rusty Zinn | Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref> | RockBeat Records | 2015 |}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/rusty-zinn-mn0000807939/discography |title=Rusty Zinn | Discography |publisher=AllMusic |date=April 3, 1970 |accessdate=January 28, 2014}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.rustyreggae.com Official website] *[https://www.google.com/images?hl=en&biw=1436&bih=671&rlz=1R2RNTN_enGB358&q=%22Rusty+Zinn%22.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=R4bATKH0G5OD4Qb-kIisDA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDQQsAQwAw Zinn photographs at Google.co.uk]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Zinn, Rusty}} Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:American blues singers Category:American blues guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:American reggae musicians Category:American blues singer-songwriters Category:Electric blues musicians Category:Musicians from Long Beach, California Category:Singer-songwriters from California Category:Guitarists from California Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:21st-century American male singers