Born in Chicago on November 26th, 1965, the youngest of nine children Bernard Allison was first introduced to the roots of black music and the art of the electric guitar by his father, the late great Luther Allison. Bernard made his first appearance on record at age 13, when he played on a live LP his father recorded in Peoria, IL.

"I didn't start to play 'til I was maybe 10 years of age" Bernard recalled "I picked up the guitar, listened to records. I was in grade school and I played with the high school jazz band. They thought I was reading the sheet music, but actually I was making up everything I could play."

Soon after graduating from High School, he began a three-year guitar apprenticeship in Koko Taylor’s high-flying Blues Machine. He also played in the late Willie Dixon’s Blues All-Stars and performed with his Dad at the 1983 Blues Festival - one of the event’s highlights. Along the way, Bernard picked up slide guitar tips from Johnny Winter and in the 80’s also learned from the late Stevie Ray Vaughan.