Blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa has very little to complain about these days.
One of the new generation of blues musicians — at age 30, he's only four years older than guitar virtuoso Jonny Lang — Bonamassa has received heaps of praise for his last three albums. His current release, "Sloe Gin," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard blues charts and has remained there for the past month.
Sirius Satellite Radio just gave the musician his own blues show, the "Daily Cup of Joe," and on Tuesday he comes to the Rialto Theatre for his first performance in Tucson.
Bonamassa spoke with Caliente about his steady rise to the top and a couple of his new projects.
Tell me a little bit about your Sirius radio show.
"It just started this week. I cut a week's worth of shows today. I record them on the road. We have the Internet and a recording device on the bus. They are just fun to do. I got this show because I had performed for Sirius and the response was really, really good. My definition of 'blues' is a little different than everybody else's. We play Led Zeppelin, Cream, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, all the heavy blues. It is a natural hand-in-glove kind of thing.
People are also reading…
Do you have complete control over what you play?
"Yep. I set up the songs I want. I think the content will actually draw more kids in than any talking I do. When the kids listen to satellite radio and happen upon the blues station, they might hear some Zeppelin and go, 'Really? That's the blues?' It is kind of like my whole thing. Led Zeppelin is the blues. Even some early Jethro Tull, classic rock played on the radio is the blues. That works wonders in getting the kids interested."
I understand you work with programs to bring blues music into schools. How do you keep students interested?
"The standard party line in the blues is to blame the media and blame MTV for the kids not listening to it. But I blame the artists sometimes. If you don't make records kids want to listen to, you can get all the MTV play in the world and nobody will buy your record. You can't force-feed it if it is not going to sell. Amy Winehouse made a bluesy soul record, but it sells because the kids really dug it. That is the bottom line of it all. It is one of those things where if you build it, they will come."
Your new album, "Sloe Gin," is selling quite well. Your last two albums received similar success. Does that make you feel good?
"It is an awesome feeling, a validation for us. It says the people actually do like our music. I just wanted to make a good album. I wanted an album with good songs. I didn't want to repeat myself. After seven albums, it can start to get boring if you repeat yourself.
"Everyone has got an opinion. I think it is the best one I've done. But I have such a cross-section of fans, I would have to make six different albums and mail them out separately to keep everybody happy."
Joe Bonamassa
• With: Crosby Loggins.
• When: 8 p.m. Tuesday.
• Where: Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St.
• Cost: $21-$36 through the Rialto box office, 740-1000.
