Rick Estrin is easily recognizable by his rich, fat harmonica sound, his magnificent bending technique, and his overall dexterity on the instrument. He is also known for his excellent and prolific songwriting.

Estrin was born in San Francisco, California, in 1949. By 1967 he was performing in clubs in San Francisco. In 1969 he went to Chicago, where he played with Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy and worked with Sam Lay, Eddie Taylor, Johnny Young, and John Littlejohn.

Estrin formed the Nightcats in 1976 with guitarist Charlie Baty. During their early career the Nightcats backed up a host of blues legends, including Big Mama Thornton, Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker, and Gatemouth Brown. Now in their thirty-first year, Little Charlie and the Nightcats are still going strong.