Regular readers of TheGuitarBuzz.com know that Joe Bonamassa is a favorite around here and his recently announced 13th album, “Driving Towards the Daylight” is the perfect example of why.

Joe Bonamassa - Driving Towards the Daylight

Producer Keven Shirley first teamed with Joe Bonamassa to release “You and Me” back in 2006 making “Driving Toward the Daylight” their seventh collaboration in as many years.

Their time together has proven to be a marriage made in blues heaven as they continue to push the evolution of blues rock to new and higher levels.

As expected, this CD highlights Bonamassa’s signature style of blues, roots, and rock & roll. There is plenty of old and plenty of new. The old feels new and the new feels newer. It includes four “Bon-originals” and seven cover songs.

Shirley wanted to pull more out of Bonamassa and did so by bringing in a stellar group of session players the likes of Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford and son Harrison Whitford on guitar, Anton Fig on drums, Arlan Schierbaum on keyboards, Michael Rhodes on bass and Jeff Bova and The Bovaland Brass on horns.

The track list is well balanced, starting off with Bonamassa’s own “Dislocated Boy”, a power-filled-rocker that will hopefully make the set lists on Joe’s summer/fall tour. The hard driving beat is a perfect opening track and sets the stage for what lies ahead.

[LISTEN TO A PREVIEW OF "DISLOCATED BOY"]

Next, Joe covers Robert Johnson’s “Stones In My Passway”, and demonstrates yet again that “The Blues Ain’t Dead” by taking a 75-year-old blues roots classic and transforming it to the Zeppelin age. According to Joe, the song was Kevin’s idea – which certainly explains the vibe!

[LISTEN TO A PREVIEW OF "STONES IN MY PASSWAY"]

The title-track follows and illustrates Joe’s talent going well beyond six-strings — to the pen — as Joe releases his creativity on one of his strongest authoring’s yet. The lyrics pull you in and the melody holds you there…

Here is the official “Driving Towards the Daylight” video:

The entire “Driving Towards The Daylight” track is available as a free download here.

“Who’s Been Talkin” is a Howling Wolf cover that’s one of my favorites. Starting with a clip of Wolf’s actual voice, Joe rips into the main riff and turns the listener back once again to the roots. It’s also has that Zepp’ish-like feeling with a melody that just sticks in your gut.

[LISTEN TO A PREVIEW OF "WHO'S BEEN TALKIN"]

The Bluesy trend continues with a cover of Willie Dixon’s “I Got All You Need”, It’s a tune that Joe refers to as a “Greasy Chicago Shuffle”…with a 60′s British flair. Lot’s of fun with this one!

“Joe does Whitesnake” with Bernie Marsden’s “A Place In My Heart” and adds enough emotion to make you believe Gary Moore has come back to record one more song. Close you eyes and get lost in the tribute. I sure did.

[LISTEN TO A PREVIEW OF "A PLACE IN MY HEART"]

The gears shift back to blues-rock with a killer version of Bill Withers “Lonely Town Lonely Street”. About half-way through the song you realize there is only one chord being played…attribute that to Shirley’s magic on the board.

“Heavenly Soul” shows off Bonamassa’s well matured (he just celebrated his 35th birthday) vocals. For a guy that at one time did not want to sing…he’s come a long way.

Next up is Tom Waits’ “New Coat Of Paint” with the massive guitar solo we have come to expect from Joe… and he does not disappoint.

“Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go” is an upbeat and Rockish version of an original Gospel tune with awesome lyrics. Let me say it now…this guy can turn any song into a blues-rock masterpiece!

The surprise closing track is the Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes classic, “Too Much Ain’t Enough Love” featuring Jimmy Barnes himself on vocals. The blending of Jimmy’s vocals and Joe’s Les Paul chops are seamless.

Recent attendees of Joe’s concerts have heard Joe’s jokes about not having a hit record after 12 albums and 140+ tracks – which is frankly, utter blastpheme.

Most of us have our own definition of what makes a hit record (which differs greatly from the music industry rules). For me, a hit is simply defined as a song I can’t wait to play again. Using that criteria, Joe Bonamassa has a lot of hits…. 11 of them on this record alone.

“Driving Towards the Daylight” will be released on Monday, May 22nd by Provogue Records.

Want to Hang Joe Bonamassa on Your Wall?

Be sure to check out Creative Bone Artworks,: “Art That Rocks” Collection – specifically the totally cool Joe Bonamassa print titled: GOLDFINGERz from artist Tom Noll!

Tom’s “Art That Rocks” print collection includes Limited Edition prints from original oil paintings of many famous Blues and Rock guitarists and bands – available for immediate purchase!

Limited Edition prints are still available of this amazing Joe Bonamassa artwork!

Contact Tom Noll directly to inquire about ALL art prints for sale.

I will personally testify that the quality of these art prints will exceed your expectations!

Contact Tom and place your order!

From Dunlop: The Dunlop JBF3 Joe Bonamassa Fuzz Face, a handwired Germanium version of this classic pedal, tweaked for Joe’s thick humbucker sounds and housed in a stunning copper enclosure.

The JBF3 is made with top-shelf components, including Cliff jacks and Omeg pots, and its distinctive finish will develop a unique patina over the years. Two NOS Russian military transistors provide loads of classic, creamy fuzz tones, really coming alive when the Fuzz Face is running full tilt into a cranked tube amp.

The Dunlop Joe Bonamassa Fuzz Face is an amazing tone tool, and due to limited production, is certain to become a collector’s item as well

Visit Joe Bonamassa’s Official Web Site by [CLICKING HERE]

So…Ladies and Gentlemen… I give you Joe Bonamassa playing his 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard through a Rickenbacker Transonic amplifier at Rumble Seat Music… without a band, a backing track or a chain of pedals…!

Joe Bonamassa Live at The Beacon Theatre

Awarded by Billboard Magazine as the #1 Blues Artist of 2010, watch blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Joe Bonamassa perform Live at The Beacon Theatre with special guest appearances by Paul Rodgers, John Hiatt and Beth Hart.

His 2011 release Dust Bowl debuted at #1, the 3rd consecutive album by Bonamassa to debut #1 on Billboards Blues Albums, and #37 on Billboard’s Top 200, making it his highest-selling and chart-ranking U.S. debut to date.

The DVD and Blu-Ray will be available on March 26, 2012.

Seymour Duncan Joe Bonamassa Signature Pickups

The Seymour Duncan Custom Shop has teamed up with blues-rock virtuoso Joe Bonamassa to produce the Joe Bonamassa Signature Pickup Set.

This immaculately crafted and calibrated dual-humbucker set accurately replicates the P.A.F. pickups in Joe’s beloved 1959 sunburst Les Paul.

Their rich, dynamic, and nuanced voice will appeal to all tone connoisseurs who cherish the passion and power of the original humbucker. There are only 1,959 sets available and they are all signed by Seymour and Joe and contain extra features such as a special USB flash drive with special interviews, features and more.

For more information visit: http://www.seymourduncan.com/joeb

GuitarDaddy’s Comments:
My questions are 1) Will these pickups be used in the next version of Joe’s signature Les Paul? and… 2) 1959 sets total? I can only imaging the street price of these PUPpies…

Honestly, I thought it would come earlier than it has, perhaps even a year or more ago. But there is no reason to delay it further… now is the time… so here goes….

I receive about a dozen emails a week from GuitarBUZZ readers. Most are very complimentary and thank me for posting a story or review that they had not read anywhere else.

But in the course of an average week, I can expect one of them to read something like this:

“Hey GuitarDaddy, I really enjoy following your blog but I have to ask: “Why do you write so much about Joe Bonamassa”? I mean, the guy’s good, but he’s just a blues player!”
Sincerely,
Regular Reader.

Well, this post is my answer to that question.

Dear RR,

Thanks for your email. I truly appreciate it. I often wonder if anyone reads this crazy passion of mine. The fact is, even if nobody read it at all, I’d still do it!

To accurately answer your question, I need to share something with you.

I need to take you back to the very first post on TheGuitarBuzz.com. I wrote it on December 31, 2008, a little over 3 years ago.

It was New Year’s Eve and after 3 months of research, planning and teaching myself how to use WordPress, I was launching TheGuitarBuzz blog with the first post. It marked the end of the 3 month “development period” that began just a few days after attending my first Joe Bonamassa concert… and here is my ticket to prove I was there:

My first Joe Bonamassa concert was the inspiration for "TheGuitarBuzz.com"

The concert was 2 hours away and it was well after 1:00am when I finally got back home. But even after a 10 hour work day, a 4 hour round-trip drive between Phoenix-Flagstaff and a 2+hour concert, I wanted to play my guitar as soon as I walked in the door.

Why did I want to play my guitar when I should have collapsed into bed? It’s simple. I left that concert inspired because that night, I found my GUITAR HERO!

The truth is, Joe Bonamassa inspires me to play and he also inspired me to create this blog.

I fell in love with the guitar all over again that night and when I finally did lay down in bed, the inspiration to create TheGuitarBuzz came to me. I did not sleep much…for several days.

So I pay tribute to that inspiration by following his career and posting (often) about his guitar playing. My “tribute posts” started with the very first blog post. I titled it: “Here’s To The Guitar Hero!“.  Allow me to re-post a few portions of the “Genesis Post” on TheGuitarBuzz.com:

…[I'm not talking about] the “video game” Guitar Hero… but the REAL Guitar Heroes.  You know… the guys like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Larry Carlton, Brian May, Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, Sonny Landreth, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Ronnie Earl, Eric Johnson, Jeff Golub, Norman Brown, Robben Ford, Carlos Santata, Robert Cray and so many other six-stringer’s that authored licks more memorable than the songs they’re a part of…

Guitar Heroes have tones you can identify from the first note you hear.  From jazz to classical and from punkers to shredders, these are the guys that rock my world, your world and the world of countless other guitar lovers everywhere. When I listen to my Hero’s play, I am reminded why I play.

There is no other instrument like the guitar. In the hands of a new player, it represents the ability to be expressive, inventive and artistic.  In the hands of an accomplished player, the guitar is the centerpiece of musical creation…

Is the Guitar Hero a dying breed?  I don’t think so.  There are plenty of young guns out there like Derek Trucks, Guthrie Govan and Joe Bonamassa that inspire the next generation to keep the flames alive and burning.  They motivate us to keep practicing, keep learning and keep playing…

Oh by the way, in case you think Joe Bonamassa is the only guitar player I listen to…get this: I have over 12,000 songs on my iPod. Only 169 tracks are by Joe Bonamassa (yes, that’s his entire library of recorded songs plus a few rips from YouTube!)… but Joe is still my GUITAR HERO!

I think he’s a Guitar Hero to a lot of other players as well.

In the past few weeks, his latest album “Dust Bowl” was nominated for “Best Rock Blues Album” and the album “Don’t Explain”, a compilation album Joe did with Beth Hart was nominated for “Best Contemporary Blues Album”.

Classic Rock Magazine - Joe Bonamassa Cover

But don’t think that Joe Bonamassa is “just a blues player”. No RR, not anymore…not at all.

It has taken a while for the media to catch up but finally, this month, Joe Bonamassa was plastered on the cover of “Classic Rock Magazine”!

What’s that title again? “Classic Rock”!

Any why not? Alongside his brilliant solo career, Joe is a founding member of Black Country Communion, the band who has released 2 scorching rock albums, a live DVD and was named “Breakthrough Act of the Year” at the most recent Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.

Listen RR, I will admit that Joe gets a lot of press on TheGuitarBuzz. Consider me guilty as charged. But a quick glance at my Tag Cloud will reveal the dozens of players and bands who have been referenced in the over 400+ blog posts that have followed that New Year’s Eve 2008 launch.

So where to from here? Well, rather than post yet another Joe Bonamassa post later this week, I will merge it into this one. That way the overall count won’t be as skewed! My plan was to post this video later in the week, but after further thought I believe it fits perfectly right here as the video begins with Joe and his personal reflection on how his career got to where it is today.

The video is a first-class production from Jim Dunlop, introducing Joe’s “Signature Pedals” — the Cry Baby and the Fuzz Face.

“Dunlop is very proud to present two signature pedals that were developed in collaboration with Joe Bonamassa, an artist who is famed for not only being one of the most talented guitarists working today but who also owns one of the most discerning ears when it comes to guitar tone and gear. Joe talks to us about the passion and dedication he has for his craft, the story behind the creation of his signature pedals working alongside Dunlop’s product designer Jeorge Tripps, and gives an intimate solo performance where he features his use of these electronics.”

The truth is, RR, there’s a lot to write about Joe…and I doubt I will stop anytime soon.

Would you stop writing about your hero? Of course not. And neither will I.

Right in the middle of our “Name the Gary Moore Painting Contest” (there is still time to enter), I posted about another masterpiece painting with the International release of “GOLDFINGERz“, a stunning rendition of Joe Bonamassa ripping it up at Montruex.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to interview the man behind the brush, world-renowned artist and owner of Creative Bone Artworks, Tom Noll.

We had a great time talking guitars, painting, Harley’s, Les Paul and life.

Here is the transcript:

What is life like for you on an average day?
Well, waking up is a good start. I never take a day for granted and I fill it with creativity. I’m always envisioning what I can transfer from brain to canvas, and how I can best capture my subject. A long ride on the Harley is always a good brainwave session.

How long have you been painting “professionally”?
My oil painting has only been the last 4 1/2 years. I’ve worked in the design and advertising world for 32 yrs., and after a serious health scare decided to start my Creative Bone Artworks and create a vibrant body of work to leave behind.

The Freeman Newspaper, November 21, 2009

What made you choose Rock-n-Rollers and Guitar Players as your painting subjects? I mean…have you ever painted a picture of a barn in a wheat field?
Starting out with fluid watercolors in the late 70’s, I painted the barns and landscapes and did the art fair circuit on the weekends. Recently, I painted the large 8’ x 9’ Bob Marley on request from a client and fell in love with the energy. Now, I live for the positive response to my work, and the happiness that I see it brings to others.

Is it your goal to one day meet the person that you painted? You know, the “artist” meets the “artist” kind of thing? Have you been able to meet anyone that you painted?
Yeah, its always great to meet that person after you’ve spent weeks looking into their psyche to discover what moves them, to bring them to life on the canvas. One such situation was my fortunate meeting with Les Paul, and hanging with him for an afternoon.

Where you able to show him your work? What did he think?
Oh yeah. He was very humbled and he signed several prints and the original oil painting. Its one thing to nail his image, but then you have to get his ax right. With Les Paul…talk about pressure! We used the painting as the backdrop to his book signing that day, and I gave him the framed print #1. He was thrilled! Ultimately, the image filled the front of the local newspaper on the day he was laid to rest.

Tom Noll painting Les Paul

You know when you can put a guys image on his fan’s living room wall for that constant recognition, who wouldn’t be pleased with all that that brings.

I keep missing Joe (Bonamassa) at his shows, and twice friends have delivered images to him for me. Once in Milwaukee, before I had painted him, he was shown what I was planning to do with him in that cool gold lame suit, and then after it was done, he saw an image of it finished in LA and he approved and signed a photo print to me. I’d had a “Name the Painting” contest with his fans going at the time, and I was told Joe wanted to submit an entry, but, well…he’s a busy guy.

Tell me about your guitars! When did you start playing?
I started on a Fender Squire, but I was really challenged and it didn’t even feel right. Then one day I said to myself, “well ya dumb &#%&, you’re lefty handed. So I flipped it over and restrung it, ala Jimi style…and immediately I sounded exactly like him…ha, ha!

Les Paul Signing

Do you have a favorite axe?
Well, the Squire is now retired on the wall, graced with a Joe Satriani signature, and I’ve purchased 4 lefty guitars. I’ve got an electric acoustic guitar, a Martin Backpacker for on the Harley, a Custom Tele, but the Les Paul is probably my fav.

Tom, you have painted an amazing list of past and present musicians. How do you go about choosing who will be on the easel next?
You know, I’m pretty approachable, and often its by request…and if the subject is someone I’m passionate about, I’m off and running. I’ve also done my fair share of custom paintings for clients that the public never sees.

Most guitar players will play guitar well into the late stages of their lives. What about painters? How long do you see this creative drive staying alive in you?
Hmmm…I’m guessing the lifestyle of a musician is a bit more “late night” than mine. If they can hang in there, I’ll be right behind them with my brush. Then, as with the late Gary Moore, now that he’s passed, its my obligation to capture his spirit forever.

Other than painting and playing guitar, does Tom Noll have any other passions?
Ha, ha…step into my garage!

Tom Noll and his "Red Ripper"

Thank you Tom!

Tom Noll with his painting of Joe Bonamassa, "GOLDFINGERz"

Check out the Latest GUITAR ART BUZZ!

The long awaited print of the Joe Bonamassa oil painting, “GOLDFINGERz”, is now available!

After a patient wait by Joe’s avid fans, the print is finally here!

Available is a 13″ x 37 1/2″ giclee paper print of the Tom Noll original work in oil of Joe tearing into it at Montruex, in his Gold Lame suit. Tim Sorrell Jr. appropriately named that painting “GOLDFINGERz” to Tom’s liking. (Photo reference courtesy of Dr. Jazz…Ueli Frey of Switzerland).

This piece is available to grace your walls for an intense visual while you’re drifting to Joe’s bluesy tones that you know and love.

Visit Tom’s site, Creative Bone Artworks, to place an order directly with him. With same day shipping, Joe will be on a plane headed your direction!

I was lucky to catch a glimpse of this pose from the 2010 Montruex Jazz Fest (Photo reference courtesy of Dr. Jazz… Ueli Frey of Switzerland), and immediatly envisioned this killer painting. I’m proud to be able to spread the word of Joe, and offer to the fans around the world, a visual to go with their prized music collections.
-Tom Noll, GOLDFINGERz Artist

Tom has been very gracious in allowing TheGuitarBuzz.com to announce the availability of this print to the world! I want to publicly thank Tom for his support of THE BUZZ and for his faith in this website’s ability to spread the word about GOLDFINGERz.

I received my GOLDFINGERz print a couple of days ago and will say that it’s an absolute stunning work of art! I highly recommend that every fan of Joe Bonamassa order this print. Believe me, you will not be disappointed!
- GuitarDaddy

(Better yet, order 2 and give a Christmas present to your favorite guitar lover/player!)