Gene Tomko started out as a photographer capturing images of the blues artists he so admired more than 20 years ago when the blues resurgence of the ’80s and ’90s was in full swing, traveling often to Chicago, Mississippi, New Orleans, and other notable hot spots. His work began appearing in various blues magazines, and in time he became a regular contributor to Living Blues. His images also appeared in Juke Blues, DownBeat, Jefferson, Soul Bag, and other publications worldwide. Eventually he was not only photographing the artists, but also writing about them. Then after tracking down long-disappeared bluesman Billy “The Kid” Emerson, Tomko started his Lost Blues Files column for Living Blues, in which he sets out to locate and pay tribute to musicians who have either fallen off the radar or mysteriously vanished from the blues and soul world, such as Ironing Board Sam, Charlie Whitehead, Cousin Leroy, and Leroy Washington. In 2006 he co-authored the book Black Hoboes & Their Songs with Paul Garon. His writing and photography have appeared in many books, CD and LP releases, and documentaries, and he continues to rack up the mileage chasing and documenting the blues.
