Joe Bonamassa
Joe Bonamassa live at the Stafford Center in Stafford, TX
Background information
Born	May 8, 1977(1977-05-08)(Age 30) Utica, New York, USA
Genre(s)	Blues Rock 'n' Roll Blues-rock
Website	http://www.jbonamassa.com

Joe Bonamassa (born May 8, 1977) is an American blues guitarist/singer, well known for his gritty voice and technically accomplished playing^{[citation needed]}; Guitar One Magazine has stated that he just might be the best guitarist of his generation.^[1] His style is considered in the same blues-rock style as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Jonny Lang. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 509 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1942 × 2287 pixel, file size: 443 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A picture I took at his performance in Stafford, Texas. ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_New_York. ... Utica, New York is a city in the State of New York and the county seat of Oneida County. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Blues is a vocal and instrumental musical form which evolved from African American spirituals, shouts, work songs and chants and has its earliest stylistic roots in West Africa. ... Rock and roll - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Blues Rock or Blues-rock is a fusion genre of music which combines elements of the blues with rock and roll. ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... “Blues music” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... Blues Rock or Blues-rock is a fusion genre of music which combines elements of the blues with rock and roll. ... Stephen Stevie Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990), born in Dallas, Texas, was an American blues guitarist. ... Kenny Wayne Shepherd or KWS (Kenny Wayne Brobst, Jr) (musician) (June 12, 1977-) is an American Blues musician. ... Jonny Lang (born Jon Gordon Langseth, Jr. ...

Early life

Bonamassa was born in Utica, New York. At the age of 11, during a short period of being mentored by country musician Danny Gatton he learned such styles as country and jazz. During this time with Gatton, Bonamassa sat in with Gatton's band whenever they played in New York. He first opened for B. B. King at 12 years of age. At 14, he was invited to attend a Fender guitar event; during that trip to the West Coast he met Berry Oakley, Jr. Joe and Berry founded the group Bloodline with Miles Davis's son Erin and Robby Krieger's son Waylon. They released one album which produced two chart singles - "Stone Cold Hearted," and "Dixie Peach." Utica, New York is a city in the State of New York and the county seat of Oneida County. ... Danny Gatton (September 4, 1945 – 4 October 1994) was a talented and enigmatic American guitarist who committed suicide at his Maryland home in 1994 while still relatively unknown to the public. ... For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Riley B. King (born September 16, 1925 in Itta Bena, Mississippi) better known as B. B. King or The King of Blues, is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter, widely considered one of the best and most respected blues musicians of all time. ... It has been suggested that Fender Amplifier History be merged into this article or section. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was an American jazz musician widely considered to be one of the most influential of the 20th century. ... Robby Krieger (born January 8, 1946) is an American rock and roll guitarist and songwriter from Los Angeles, California. ...

Influences

In an interview in 'Guitarist' magazine (issue 265), Joe Bonamassa cited the three albums that had the biggest influence on his playing: John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (the 'Beano Album'), Rory Gallagher's 'Irish Tour' and 'Goodbye' by Cream. John Mayall and Paul Butterfield, 1967 John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers are a pioneering English blues band, led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist John Mayall, OBE, that has included such luminaries as: Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce (both later in Cream), Peter Green, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood (later all... Eric Patrick Clapton CBE (born 30 March 1945), nicknamed Slowhand, is a Grammy Award winning English guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer. ... Rory Gallagher (2 March 1948–14 June 1995) was an Irish blues/rock guitarist, born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, grew up in Cork City in the south of Ireland. ... Cream were a classic 1960s British rock band, which consisted of guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker. ...

These influences are evident in his music, but Joe has been influenced by other artists; notable examples include Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, Robert Johnson, Danny Gatton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eric Johnson, and Buddy Guy. Bonamassa's style of playing incorporates the wide range of genres these influences cover: Rock, Blues-Rock, Jazz, Country, Delta Blues, and Electric Blues. Stephen Stevie Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990), born in Dallas, Texas, was an American blues guitarist. ... Riley B. King aka B. B. King (b. ... For other persons named Robert Johnson, see Robert Johnson (disambiguation). ... Danny Gatton (September 4, 1945 – 4 October 1994) was a talented and enigmatic American guitarist who committed suicide at his Maryland home in 1994 while still relatively unknown to the public. ... James Patrick Jimmy Page, OBE (born 9 January 1944) is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. ... Geoffrey Arnold (Jeff) Beck (born June 24, 1944 to Arnold and Ethel Beck in Wallington, Greater London) is an English rock guitarist. ... Eric Johnson (born August 17, 1954) is a Grammy Award-winning guitarist and recording artist from Austin, Texas. ... George Buddy Guy (born July 30, 1936) is a five-time Grammy Award-winning American blues and rock guitarist and singer. ... Blues Rock or Blues-rock is a fusion genre of music which combines elements of the blues with rock and roll. ...

Solo career

Bonamassa's first solo album, "A New Day Yesterday", was released in 2000 and produced by the legendary Tom Dowd. Bonamassa added drummer Kenny Kramme and bassist Eric Czar as bandmates to tour and support the album. Tom Dowd (October 20, 1925 - October 27, 2002) was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. ...

After touring to support his first album, Bonamassa and the band returned to the studio in 2002 and worked with producer Clif Magness to release his second album "So, It's Like That." The second album contained more traditional rock music than his previous studio album, attaining number one on the Billboard Blues Chart. For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... On January 4, 1936, Billboard magazine published its first music hit parade and on July 20, 1940 the first Music Popularity Chart was calculated. ...

Positive fan feedback resulted in the 2003 release of "Blues Deluxe," which was released to support the Year of the Blues. The album features nine covers of classic blues tunes along with three songs authored by Bonamassa. This album also reached number one on the Billboard Blues Chart.

2005 saw the release of "Had to Cry Today," which returned to the more traditional rock music sound heard in "So, it's Like That." In late 2005, after extensive touring with his previous trio, Bonamassa changed the line-up of the musicians in his touring band. He enlisted the help bassist player named Mark Epstein and former Kenny Wayne Shepherd drummer, Bogie Bowles. Kenny Wayne Shepherd or KWS (Kenny Wayne Brobst, Jr) (musician) (June 12, 1977-) is an American Blues musician. ...

In 2006, Joe release his fifth full-length studio album, entitled "You & Me". This album also appeared at #1 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart. For the recording of this album, Bonamassa enlisted the talents of multiple studio musicians such as Jason Bonham, son of the legendary John Bonham. "Your Funeral And My Trial", a track on the album, featured harmonica prodigy LD Miller. "You & Me" is Bonamassa's most heavy blues album, breaking away from the heavier rock styles featured in "So, it's Like That," and "Had to Cry Today." Jason Bonham (born July 13, 1966) is an English drummer and son of legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. ... John Henry Bonzo Bonham (May 31, 1948 – September 25, 1980) was an English drummer and member of the English rock band Led Zeppelin. ...

"Sloe Gin" was released in August of 2007, and is currently in its fifth week of being the number one album on the Billboard Blues Chart. This album features much more Acoustic Guitar work than any of Joe's previous albums. Bonamassa's touring band underwent another change for this album's tour; bassist Carmine Rojas replaced Epstein and keyboardist Rick Melick was added. Both of the new bandmembers took part in the recordings of "You And Me" and "Sloe Gin". Acoustic guitar can refer to the following musical instruments: Nylon and gut stringed guitars: Renaissance guitar Baroque guitar Romantic guitar Classical guitar, the modern version of the original guitar, with nylon strings Flamenco guitar Steel stringed guitars: Steel-string acoustic guitar, also known as western, folk or country guitar Twelve...

Discography

• 2000 – A New Day Yesterday
• 2002 – So, It's Like That
• 2002 – A New Day Yesterday, Live
• 2003 – Blues Deluxe
• 2004 – Had To Cry Today
• 2006 – You & Me
• 2007 – Sloe Gin

See also: 2000 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2000 Record labels established in 2000 // John Tavener is knighted in the New Years Honours List. ... See also: 2002 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2002 Record labels established in 2002 // 2002 was marked by significant trends in rock music. ... See also: 2002 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2002 Record labels established in 2002 // 2002 was marked by significant trends in rock music. ... See also: 2003 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2003 Record labels established in 2003 // January - following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It... See also: 2004 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2004 Record labels established in 2004 2000s in music. ... See also: 2006 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2006 Record labels established in 2006 Ti // January – James Nicholl, drummer of Pay*Ola became ill and was admitted to hospital. ... See also: 2007 in British music 2007 in hip hop Musical groups established in 2007 Record labels established in 2007 // January George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queens New Year Honours List. ...

DVDs

Live at the Rockpalast was released in 2005, and recorded at the Burg Stazvey in Merchernich, Germany ^[2]. It is one of the last concerts Bonamassa performed with his original band. A New Day Yesterday, Live was also released as a live DVD, given away for a short period of time with "So, It's Like That."

References

1. ^ April 2007 issue of Guitar One Magazine, page 21.
2. ^ http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/25/194712.php

External links

• Official Joe Bonamassa Website
• 2006 Joe Bonamassa Interview on Modern Guitars Magazine
• Joe Bonamassa Talks about Sloe Gin to Modern Guitars Magazine
• Joe Bonamassa Street Team
• 2007 Rock N Roll Universe Interview