Blues Megastar Joe Bonamassa Coming to Louisville In 2024 Spring Tour: Our Interview

Joe Bonamassa in concert. (photo: Haluk Gurer)

Edmonson Voice Special Feature, Darren Doyle, story:
When you talk about listening to blues music, most conversations tend to lean toward B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, or Eric Clapton, but for music fans that know the name Joe Bonamassa, they are constantly entertained and wowed at the blues giant's incredible music and ability.

Over the course of his career, which started at age 12 when he opened for B.B. King, Bonamassa has earned three Grammy nominations and with the release of his latest studio album "Blues Deluxe, Vol. 2," which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart, it marked Joe's 27th #1 debut. That is more #1 debuts than any other artist on the Billboard Blues Chart. He also has recorded 15 studio albums, with 11 of them reaching the #1 spot.

Bonamassa also has one of the most extensive vintage guitar and amplifier collections in the entire world. It has been most recently said he has over 600 guitars and more than 100 amps. He regularly plays them at home and on the road. They are regular features of his popular social media accounts, which are funny, down-to-earth, and entertaining in their own rights.

In preparation for his 19-date US Spring Tour, which is bringing him up and down the east coast and kicks off in Louisville on February 19th at the Louisville Palace, we were fortunate enough to have a phone call and interview with Joe himself.

DD: What do you do before a tour and how do you prepare for each one?

JB: We start rehearsals next week, and especially at the beginning, you try to figure out what songs you want to put in, anything new, old, you know, otherwise. Generally, you look at it from when did we play the market the last time? It is a different opener, a different closer, but you know, luckily with a spreadsheet, you can look those things up. That's kind of what you do beforehand, you just make sure you're not playing the same show.

Joe said over his 35-year playing career he's probably done around 30-40 shows in Kentucky, with several in the Louisville and Lexington area.

DD: When talking about your band, and for this tour, what's the process of putting that together, and what's it like touring with these folks?

JB: I'm very lucky to have a crack band and they can do anything, you know. They speak all the languages, and that's a big thing. Since my catalog is pretty vast, from straight blues to progressive rock, the fact they can speak all the languages is important.

DD: Your guitar collection is probably the best in the world and when you talk about guitars and amps, what goes into selecting the gear that you take on tour? You obviously have plenty from which to choose.

JB: Well, there's two rigs. We have to leap frog a lot of times, gear-wise. All the guitars are vintage. The thing is, for me, you need a couple of Strats, a couple of Telecasters, a couple of Les Pauls, a couple of 335s, and you can get it done, you know what I mean? That's important because people come to see the shows because they want to see a real sunburst Les Paul, and they ARE real sunburst Les Pauls.

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DD: I've noticed your pedal board isn't as extensive as a lot of guys out there playing; yours seems very simple. What can we expect to see on your board out here on the tour?

JB: This is a multi-amp rig, so basically, it's a Cry Baby Wah-Wah pedal, it's a booster, and a delay. That's it. Maybe a Leslie, I have a Leslie.

DD: In terms of your extensive guitar and amp collection, which you said a lot of times that the gear finds you, instead of you finding the gear, what do you look for when adding to that collection?

JB: What I'm looking for, and my collection is so vast, it's gotta be something I can play live, you know, immediately--or, a unicorn. Meaning, that it's so rare that you could collect three lifetimes and never see one. And that comes to me more than you think.

DD: I've heard you say multiple times that you're not really a singer, but as a trained singer myself, I can tell you that's not accurate. Your pitch and control is phenomenal. You obviously take care of your fingers but what do you do on the road to take care of your voice? A Joe Bonamassa concert is not the same without the voice.

JB. It is not the same, and I sing more than I play. You know, singing is the hardest thing you do every day when you're on the road. It just is. But also, you have to learn how to sing. There's not a lot of singers that can sing their whole careers and not know, fundamentally, what they're doing. Because the muscle changes, your body changes, everything changes over the years, and what you can do when you're 22, you can't do when your 42. I learned how to sing when I was about 30 when I went into heavy training, and I sing higher now than when I was 22, because I learned how to use it.

DD: Do you avoid certain foods and weather? How about allergies and things like that, or do you just grin a bear it?

JB: You gotta try and stay healthy. Obviously a head cold is a major, major problem. But just on a daily basis, if you're feeling good, you just want to use the technique and channel the head voice. You don't have to push as hard people think.

DD: To someone that's not familiar with Joe Bonamassa's music, what would you tell them to get them to come out to the Louisville show or this tour?

JB: I mean, I been doing this for so long, if you know, you know. That's the thing. We've had pretty good success over the year. To sell 9 million records in different genres is hard to do. So, you know, for me, if you know, you know and if you don't, you don't.

DD: What's it like touring with Joe Bonamassa? Is everyone on the same bus? Does everyone do their own thing?

JB: No, there are four buses, three semi-trucks and 32 people. So...it's involved.

DD: I'm looking forward to the Louisville show and I'll be in the orchestra pit taking photos for the first portion of the show. Maybe you can hit me in the head with a pick or something and I'll try to get some photos of that.

JB: I'll try. I'll try to have some good aim.

Stay connected to the Voice to read the full concert review of the February 19th show in Louisville. We'll have all the details, in addition our own photos.

To purchase tickets for the Louisville show on February 19th, click here