This week, I’m joined by modern blues-rock guitar icon Joe Bonamassa for an in-depth conversation exploring the stories behind key songs from across his entire discography.

We also dig into Bonamassa’s massive collection of over 650 vintage guitars, his approach to volume swells—like the one in the title track of Blues Deluxe, which served as my own introduction to his music—and his unique approach to cover songs, including “Sloe Gin” (originally written by Bob Ezrin and recorded by Tim Curry) and “Prisoner” (originally by Barbra Streisand).

Joe also shares insights on his live performance philosophy and how it shaped releases like Live at the Hollywood Bowl with Orchestra. We talk about the release of his new single “Better the Devil You Know,” co-written with Journey’s Jonathan Cain, to mark the 10th anniversary of Different Shades of Blue, as well as his thoughts on his personal career longevity along with his ongoing Journeyman LLC venture, which spotlighting artists like Joanne Shaw Taylor and Robert Jon & The Wreck.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to Joe Bonamassa, this episode is packed with guitar talk, deep cuts and career-spanning stories.

🎙️ Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform—and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review to help more music fans find the show! Then, scroll down to hear all of the songs discussed in this episode. 👇

Blues Deluxe

Clouds On The Horizon (Walter Trout w/ Joe Bonamassa)

Sloe Gin

Prisoner

Better The Devil You Know

Driving Towards The Daylight (Live at the State Theater – Easton, PA – 2025)

Joe & Brian after a Mexicali Blues Cafe (Teaneck, NJ) show on his 2004 tour.