Russell Welch was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, where he started leading his own jazz band at 16 and was soon being called a 'jazz prodigy' by local critics. At 18 he became the youngest inductee into the Jackson Jazz Musicians' Hall of Fame, and he credits much of his growth to his mentor, virtuoso guitarist Barry Leach.
After earning a B.A. in Jazz Studies at the University of Southern Mississippi — where he took 'Outstanding Soloist' at the University of North Texas Jazz Festival — Welch settled in New Orleans and became a staple of the city's jazz scene. He is a key player in Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns, whose swing won a Big Easy Music Award for Best Traditional Jazz Band in 2012, and he leads his own Russell Welch Hot Quartet, whose album 'Pour Vous' (2013) was widely praised. He also plays with the Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band, the Hot Club of New Orleans, and the Champagniacs.
Welch has eight albums to his name and more in the works, including 'Mississippi Gypsy' (2015), praised by OffBeat for its 'masterful' musicianship, and 'Acetate Sessions' (2019), which earned a Big Easy nomination for Best Traditional Jazz Album. He was nominated for Best Guitarist in the 2016 OffBeat Best of the Beat awards, has served as featured guitarist for the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and teaches at prestigious Django Reinhardt festivals including Django a Go Go and Django in June.
