A busker, a guitarist and a Grammy nod from nowhere

Eric Burton grew up singing in church in the San Fernando Valley, then threw himself into musical theater. He busked on the Santa Monica Pier, earning a few hundred dollars a day and learning how to hold a crowd. He had also appeared on American Idol, where he was eliminated in the Hollywood rounds.

In 2017 he made his way to Texas and settled in Austin, busking on the streets. At the same time, Grammy-winning guitarist and producer Adrian Quesada was looking for someone new to work with. A mutual friend connected them, and Quesada felt Burton's voice was a match for the retro-funk and R&B tracks he had been working on. In 2018 they joined forces as Black Pumas.

They developed their sound both in the studio and on a weekly residency at an Austin bar, signed to ATO Records and put out a pair of singles. Quesada brought experience from Latin funk band Grupo Fantasma, which won a Grammy for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album.

The self-titled debut album arrived in June 2019. Rolling Stone praised the “tireless, charismatic energy” of Burton, and the band won best new band at the Austin Music Awards. A TV appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! performing “Colors” became their breakout; the single later went to number one on AAA radio. In late 2019 they were nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys, and a year later “Colors” was up for Record of the Year, with the album nominated for Album of the Year.

Back home the band became the first to sell out four consecutive shows at Stubbs, and on 7 May 2020 the mayor proclaimed Black Pumas Day. In 2021 they were invited to perform for Joe Biden's inauguration special, virtually because of the pandemic. By November 2021 they had six Grammy nominations. For a band that began with an introduction from a mutual friend, it was a quick climb.