Best of 2019: Maybe if we had the budget and the influence upon TV powerbrokers we could somehow persuade Joe Bonamassa to commit to a day-in-the-life reality series.
It could be a little like The Osbournes, only good, following Bonamassa around from stage to guitar store and back on through the hallowed walls of Nerdville talking guitars, amps, the blues, the whole lot. Or, better still, a sort of Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, only with guitarists and coffee – hey, that could work.
But in the meantime we've got Instagram to check in on our favourite blues-rock master, and whether he is shredding an EVH S-style through his live rig declaring that his 1951 Nocaster is the best guitar in his formidable collection, Bonamassa's feed is always worth checking in on for his thoughts.
And last night he declared Eric Gales the best blues rock guitarist in the world today.
Both are sailing the Med right now on the Keeping the Blues Alive Cruise, and had just shared the stage when Bonamassa posted: “Our best Ballad of John Henry of all time. Thank you to Eric Gales for showing us all how it’s done! You are the best guitarist in blues rock and that the world has right now. Epic in every way!”
Bonamassa of course shared the stage with Gales while at sea with the KTBA cruise back in February this year. Is Bonamassa right? He should know. If not there can be few who can match Gales' red-hot tone, and the power to hold the note, bend it, and pin the audience right on to the back of their seats
Check out this awesome footage of JoBo, Gales and the super-talented King Solomon Hicks jamming it out on Albert King's I Get Evil from the late February cruise.
It's too late to climb aboard but check out Blues Alive At Sea Europe for details on next year's cruise, which is sure to sellout fast as it journeys between Barcelona, Genoa and Cannes.
Bonamassa and Gales are currently joined on deck by the lacks of Peter Frampton, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robert Randolph & The Family Band and Bernie Marsden.
Gales is currently touring in support of his 2019 studio album, The Bookends, out now through Provogue. You can order it here.
