SMART MONEY

Inside Joe Bonamassa’s drive to keep the blues alive in school.

JOE BONAMASSA’S KEEPING the Blues Alive label certainly lives up to its name. Not only has it brought neglected figures such as Larry McCray and Eric Gales back into the spotlight but it’s helped raise more than one million dollars to support struggling musicians and fund blues education programs. The label’s previous releases include Dion’s 2020 all-star hook-up Blues With Friends, as well as a pair of 2021 albums from Joanne Shaw Taylor (The Blues Album) and Joanna Connor (4801 South Indiana Avenue).

Bonamassa and his manager, Roy Weisman, founded the label with a mission to preserve arts education, with 10 percent of profits going toward donations of musical instruments and supplies to schools in need. Their ultimate goal is to ensure blues culture and history are embraced and recognized for years to come. Bonamassa spoke with Guitar Player about his label’s purpose and ambitions.

When you sign an act, is it with a vision and a plan for a long-term career commitment or more to raise their profile and see how things pan out?

Each artist is different. For some, we have longerterm plans, while for others we’re just trying to give them a boost so that people recognize their incredible talent. So far we have been able to secure a number one Billboard blues album for all of our acts. We are really proud of that. Plus, it gives the artists bragging rights.

It must feel satisfying when you see the artists get the respect they deserve.

Yes. I have felt so proud of Larry McCray’s new album. He’s one of a kind and one of the nicest people on this earth. I want to try and help the world rediscover how truly incredible he is. There are so many amazing artists out there, and sometimes the industry leaves them in the dust. We try to swoop in and help where we can. Since we’re an independent label, we can’t help everybody, but if we help some, it will all be worth it. — MM

To support KTBA in its mission to promote music and help working musicians, visit keepingthebluesalive.org

What were you playing on the album?

I only took one guitar with me, a Les Paul Deluxe, as I was flying and I couldn’t really take any more than that. I used a lot of Joe’s guitars and amplifiers. Joe has so much great gear that there isn’t anything that I could have taken with me that would have been any better anyway. [laughs]

You’re very much a Gibson guy, although I believe way back you used to play a Strat.

That’s right. In fact I played an Ibanez before the Strat. What happened was that I went over to England, and I saw Gary Moore playing. When I heard his humbuckers, I thought, Okay, there’s a bigger bear in the woods; I need to keep up here.

[laughs] As soon as I got back to the

States, I bought a tobacco-brown

Flying V, which I played a lot.

That was when I also discovered that I really liked Les Pauls as well, and the 335 came soon after that.

I like to switch my tones a lot, even in the middle of a solo, where I’ll flip from one pickup to another.

I know Albert King always did that.

I think it takes the solo on more of a journey through different tonal ranges.

I imagine things are very busy for you now that the album is being released.

MOORE WHEN “I SAW I PLAYING. HEARD GARY HIS HUMBUCKERS, I THOUGHT, OKAY, THERE’S A BIGGER BEAR IN THE WOODS; I NEED TO KEEP UP HERE”

Yeah. I’m also doing some things with Devon Allman and the Allman Brothers Revue right now, and I’m starting to book a lot of dates for myself. Everything is really starting to build up, and I’m determined that I’m going to make the most of every opportunity to make up for a lot of lost time.