(1990), an album featuring the harmonica playing of James Cotton, Junior Wells, Carey Bell, and Billy Branch.
Having dropped out of school and moved with his then girlfriend to New Orleans, he continued to practice and largely self-learn the instrument before returning to New Jersey in 1994.
[8] He worked in a number of local bands around New Brunswick, New Jersey, before forming his own outfit in 1998, and then recording his debut album, Dennis Gruenling and Jump Time (1999).
He heard both Rod Piazza and William Clarke on blues radio, and regularly frequented both of their shows when they played locally.
[14] The album included a cover version of Little Walter's "If You Were Mine", with the vocals supplied by Gruenling's wife, Gina Fox.
[8] These included, Rockin' All Day (2012), with Gruenling featuring Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones on an album that was recorded in Sarasota, Florida by Ed Kinder, and in Glen Ridge, New Jersey by Dave Gross.
[7] In 2010, the History of the Blues Harmonica Concert featuring David Barrett, Joe Filisko, Kinya Pollard, John Garcia, Rusty Zinn, and Gruenling was another Back Bender Records release.
[19] On the WFDU college radio station based in Teaneck, New Jersey, Gruenling is the weekly host of Blues & the Beat.