By Stevie Connor.
Joe Bonamassa has released "Hope You Realize It (Goodbye Again)," the latest single from his forthcoming album Blues Deluxe Vol. 2. This original song, written by Bonamassa and Tom Hambridge, demonstrates the 26x Billboard chart-topper’s commitment to innovation within the blues genre. "This is a song that I wrote with Tom Hambridge, and we did a real Tower Of Power treatment on it," Bonamassa explains. "Now, the whole thing about ‘Blues Deluxe, Vol. 2,’ we tried to keep the same ratio of covers to originals as on Blues Deluxe, Vol. 1, so we needed an upbeat song and I had this song kind of laying around for over a year. Calvin Turner wrote a killer funky horn part, and we just did like a Tower Of Power take on it and made no apologies about it. It’s just the nature of the groove and everything else - you have to tip the hat.”
Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 is a heartfelt tribute from Bonamassa to the roots of his musical journey, breathing fresh life into classic tracks and encapsulating the blues genre's evolution. Out October 6th via J&R Adventures, the album features two new originals, including "Hope You Realize It (Goodbye Again)," and eight new covers spanning some of the most important names in the blues – from Bobby “Blue” Bland to Albert King. Also available for pre-order is the Platinum Edition Box Set (limited to 500 units worldwide), which includes the CD and Vinyl versions for both Vol. 2 and Blues Deluxe Remastered along with exclusive items.
“Part of my approach to these new recordings was that I wanted to see if I had matured musically over the years, and if I had gotten better as a player,” Bonamassa says. “I’m happy to say that I am a much better singer than I was 20 years ago - though I still don’t really consider myself to be a legit ‘singer,’ I can now carry a tune a little better than I could back then.” "The release of "Hope You Realize It (Goodbye Again)" follows three standout singles from Blues Deluxe Vol. 2. "Twenty-Four Hour Blues," a fiery reinterpretation of Bobby “Blue” Bland’s iconic track from the Dreamer album, boasts one of Bonamassa’s most potent vocal and guitar performances to date. The second single, "Well, I Done Got Over It," pays tribute to Guitar Slim's 1953 release. Introduced to Slim's work by his father during childhood, Bonamassa was instantly captivated by his velvety voice and unique delivery. The new version fuses the styles of the Blues Breakers and Guitar Slim, creating a unique blend that Bonamassa masterfully delivers. The third single, "Lazy Poker Blues," is a rejuvenated classic originally performed by Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, showcasing Bonamassa's deep reverence for the titans of British blues. Featuring Reese Wynans (keys), Calvin Turner (bass), Lamar Carter (drums), Kirk Fletcher (guitar), and Josh Smith (guitar), additional highlights from Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 include “I Want To Shout About It,” originally performed by Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, “It’s Hard But It’s Fair” by Bobby Parker, and “Is It Safe To Go Home,” a new track written for Joe by Josh Smith. “I knew I wanted to push him really hard vocally,” Smith adds. “I'd heard him sing things just messing around or when we'd be producing for other artists that I'd never heard him do on record. So the songs were both chosen and written with that in mind. If you listen to the vocals on "Twenty-Four Hour Blues" and "Is It Safe To Go Home,” you'll hear Joe really going for it.” Bonamassa’s 2023 summer run included his debut appearance at Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday, August 9th. The exclusive, one-night-only concert experience alongside an orchestra was recorded for his next live concert film. After finishing up the summer with two special performances featuring Styx and Don Felder, the hardest working bluesman in show business will begin his U.S. Fall Tour on October 23rd at The Cannon Center in Memphis, TN, before crisscrossing the country and capping the year at the guitar-shaped Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, FL on December 2nd. Bonamassa’s spring 2024 tour will include performances in historic venues like the Count Basie Center For The Arts in Red Bank, NJ on February 23rd and the Saenger Theatre in Pensacola, FL on March 7th, before culminating with Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea IX, set for March 18-24, departing from Miami, Florida to Cozumel, Mexico. The festival line-up includes Grace Potter, The Marshall Tucker Band, John Oates, Jimmy Vivino, King King, and a special performance by Black Country Communion, Bonamassa’s supergroup with Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH), Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN) and Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL). KTBA at Sea is one of the largest fundraisers for Bonamassa’s Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, aiding in its mission to promote music education by providing grants and resources to schools and musicians in need. Cited by Guitar World as “arguably the world’s biggest blues guitarist,” Bonamassa is known for taking risks and venturing into uncharted territory throughout his wide-ranging career. His last recent full-length Time Clocks marked his most raw, rocking studio album yet, with American Songwriter sharing, “Bonamassa pushes into fresh territory while staying within a blues-based framework,” and “there is more than enough proof in this sprawling set that Bonamassa doesn’t intend to rest on his laurels or take his star status in the blues-rock genre for granted.” Fall 2023 U.S. Tour October 23 – Memphis, TN – The Cannon Center October 25 – Shreveport, LA – Shreveport Municipal Auditorium October 27 – San Antonio, TX – Majestic Theatre October 28 – Sugar Land, TX – Smart Financial Centre At Sugar Land October 29 – Austin, TX – ACL Live November 1 – Fayetteville, AR – Walton Arts Center November 3 – Little Rock, AR – Robinson Performance Hall November 4 – Grand Prairie, TX – Texas Trust CU Theatre November 5 – Oklahoma City, OK – Civic Center Music Hall November 8 – Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Theater November 10 – Kansas City, MO – The Midland Theatre November 11 – St. Louis, MO – The Fabulous Fox November 12 – Cedar Rapids, IA – Paramount Theatre November 14 – Rochester, MN – Mayo Civic Center November 15 – Rockford, IL – Coronado Performing Arts Center November 17 – Fort Wayne, IN – Embassy Theatre November 18 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre November 19 – Columbus, OH – Palace Theatre November 21 – Reading, PA – The Santander Performing Arts Center November 22 – Providence, RI – Providence Performance Arts Center November 24 – Springfield, MA – Symphony Hall November 25 – Baltimore, MD – The Lyric November 28 – Savannah, GA – Johnny Mercer Theatre November 30 – Sarasota, FL – Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall December 1 – Estero, FL – Hertz Arena December 2 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live Spring 2024 U.S. Tour February 19 - Louisville, KY - The Louisville Palace February 21 - Youngstown, OH - Covelli Centre February 23 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Center For The Arts February 24 - Oxon Hill, MD - The Theater at MGM National Harbor February 25 - Durham, NC - DPAC February 27 - Columbia, SC - Township Auditorium February 29 - Virginia Beach, VA - The Sandler Center March 1 - Roanoke, VA - Berglund Center March 2 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre March 4 - Richmond, VA - Altria Theater March 5 - Knoxville, TN - Knoxville Civic Auditorium March 7 - Pensacola, FL - Saenger Theatre March 8 - Biloxi, MS - Beau Rivage March 9 - Biloxi, MS - Beau Rivage March 11 - Huntsville, AL - VBC Mark C. Smith Concert Hall March 12 - Greenville, SC - Peace Center March 14 - Macon, GA - Macon City Auditorium March 15 - Orlando, FL - Dr. Phillips Center March 16 - Clearwater, FL - The Sound March 18-24 - Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea IX - Miami, FL to Cozumel, Mexico Blues-rock superstar Joe Bonamassa is one of the most celebrated performing musicians of today. As a three-time GRAMMY-nominated artist and 13x Blues Music Award Nominee (4 wins), he achieved his 26th No. 1 album on the Billboard Blues Chart with Tales Of Time, a sprawling and expansive live concert film and album, shot at the breathtaking Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado in August 2022. Only in his mid-40s, Bonamassa has become a living legend with an astounding multi-genre catalog. He has released more than 40 albums, including studio and live recordings, as well as collaborative albums with his adventurous side projects: Black Country Communion and Rock Candy Funk Party. A prolific writer who is always on the hunt to expand his eclectic musical horizons, Bonamassa has a limitless work ethic whether it’s in a studio, on the road, or working with other artists to spur new music. In recent years, he has produced an immense number of albums including Joanne Shaw Taylor, Marc Broussard, Larry McCray, Jimmy Hall and others for his independent label KTBA Records, and has also recently launched Journeyman LLC, a full-service artist management, record label, concert promotion, and marketing company that builds awareness for independent artists worldwide. Recent producing highlights include ‘Crown’ by the blues legend Eric Gales, which was nominated for “Best Contemporary Blues Album” at the 2023 GRAMMY Awards. Bonamassa has been featured in several publications from Esquire, WSJ, and Parade to Rolling Stone and American Songwriter, as well as on the covers of Guitar World, Guitar Player, Vintage Guitar, Guitarist, and Classic Rock Magazine. His non-profit Keeping The Blues Alive provides funds and resources to schools and artists in need and has positively impacted more than 91k students to date while raising over 2 million in donations.
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