Over a career spanning more than five decades, Pucci became one of the music industry’s most trusted behind-the-scenes figures, working with artists across blues, rock, roots, country and Americana. Known for his professionalism, loyalty and deep commitment to the musicians he represented, he spent much of his life helping artists find audiences and building lasting relationships throughout the industry.

Beyond the business, those closest to him remember a kind and generous man with a deep love for family, friends, animals and music. For many within the blues community, Pucci was not simply a publicist but a friend, advocate and familiar presence who spent decades championing the music he loved.

Five decades in music

Pucci’s career included two separate tenures at Capricorn Records, where he served first as publicity director and later as Vice President of Publicity and General Manager. During that time, he worked on campaigns for artists including The Allman Brothers Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Elvin Bishop, Delbert McClinton, Wet Willie, Sea Level, Dixie Dregs, Widespread Panic, Kenny Chesney, 311 and Cake.

His time at Capricorn also placed him close to one of the most significant political campaigns of the 1970s. Pucci worked on publicity and promotion for benefit concerts connected to Jimmy Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign, helping raise early funds and increase Carter’s national profile.

He later founded Atlanta-based Mark Pucci Media, continuing to represent artists whose work reflected his own passion for blues, roots and American music. His client list over the years included Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, John Mayall, Taj Mahal, Gordon Lightfoot, Derek Trucks, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Charlie Musselwhite, Delbert McClinton, Dave Alvin, Buddy Miller, Julie Miller, The Flatlanders, Tinsley Ellis, Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard, Sue Foley, Kim Wilson, Jimmie Vaughan, Eric Johnson, Maria Muldaur, Al Kooper, The Nighthawks and Savoy Brown.

Keeping the blues alive

Pucci’s contribution to the blues world was formally recognised in 2008 when he received the Blues Foundation’s Keeping the Blues Alive Award in Memphis. The honour acknowledged a career spent promoting, supporting and helping sustain blues music and the artists who made it.

Those achievements were also reflected in listings in Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in Entertainment, but the tributes following his death have focused just as strongly on the person behind the career. Friends, colleagues and family have spoken of his warmth, compassion, attention to detail and determination to do right by the artists who trusted him.

For a profession that often operates out of sight of audiences, Pucci’s influence was considerable. The musicians he represented, the records he helped promote and the relationships he built over more than half a century form a substantial part of his legacy.

A life beyond the business

Pucci was predeceased by his wife Patricia Powers Pucci, his parents Anna and James Pucci, brothers Joseph and James Pucci, sisters Dolores Kenna and Carol Dinkowitz, brother-in-law Pete Dinkowitz and niece Susan Iversen.

He is survived by sister-in-law Gertrude Pucci, nieces Diane Nunno and Tina Hulsman, nephew Peter Dinkowitz and many other nieces and nephews. He is also remembered by his office assistant and friend Karin Johnson, the Renteral family, his wider blues family, friends from the “lunch bunch” and his beloved cat Elvis.

Memorial services will be held on Wednesday 28 October from 10am to noon and again from 6pm to 9pm, with arrangements being handled by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Those wishing to honour Pucci’s memory have also been invited to make donations to LifeLine Animal Project, reflecting his longstanding love of animals.

Mark Pucci spent more than 50 years helping other people’s music reach the world. His contribution to the blues community, and to the generations of artists who trusted him with their work, will continue long after his passing.

The post Music industry mourns Mark Pucci, 79 first appeared on Blues Matters Magazine.

Produced by longtime collaborator Kevin Shirley, the ten-track album finds Shaw Taylor looking at love and relationships from a number of different angles, moving between heartbreak, desire, friendship, frustration and self-acceptance. Musically, the record blends blues, rock, soul and Americana while keeping her guitar playing and increasingly personal songwriting at its centre.

The album also features collaborations with Joe Bonamassa and Orianthi, while ‘Never Gonna Please ’Em All’ turns the focus inward with a defiant response to the expectations placed on women and the realisation that trying to satisfy everyone can come at the expense of being yourself.

Refusing to please everyone

‘Never Gonna Please ’Em All’ tackles the contradictions and demands Shaw Taylor has encountered throughout her life and career, from being expected to smile more or speak less to the wider pressure to become smaller, quieter or more agreeable.

Rather than accepting those expectations, the song celebrates the freedom that comes with recognising that some people simply cannot be pleased. The lyric “I turned my heartbreak into a work of art” also reflects Shaw Taylor’s own approach to songwriting, where difficult personal experiences have repeatedly become material for her music.

That defiance sits comfortably alongside the broader themes of The Trouble With Love. Across the album, Shaw Taylor examines relationships without presenting them as simple or easily resolved, allowing love to be exciting, damaging, reassuring and confusing, often within the same record.

Love from every angle

The title track, featuring Joe Bonamassa, explores the addictive highs and lows of romance, while ‘What Good Is My Love?’ brings Shaw Taylor together with Orianthi for a song about loving someone who cannot return that affection.

Elsewhere, ‘Hell Or High Water’ turns towards perseverance and self-belief, while ‘Tired Of Being Right’ looks at the difficult realisation that someone you love may never change. ‘Bad Boy’ explores the attraction of relationships that are both exciting and destructive, and ‘The Girl That You Loved Before’ considers what happens when somebody remembers a version of you that no longer exists.

One of the record’s most personal moments arrives with ‘You And Me (Rachel’s Song)’, written as a tribute to Shaw Taylor’s best friend. By placing friendship alongside romantic relationships, the song broadens the album’s central theme and recognises the importance of the people who remain constants through different stages of life.

A new chapter

Across The Trouble With Love, Shaw Taylor’s guitar playing remains instantly recognisable, but the songs themselves increasingly take the lead. Shirley’s production gives each track room to develop its own character, creating a record that moves between vulnerability and defiance without losing the blues-rock foundation that first established her reputation.

Discovered by Dave Stewart while still a teenager, Shaw Taylor has spent nearly two decades developing from a highly regarded guitarist into a songwriter, singer and performer with an increasingly broad musical identity. Her catalogue now includes several Billboard Blues Albums chart-toppers, while recent records have continued to bring soul, rock and more personal writing into her sound.

Shaw Taylor will take the new material on the road in the United States this autumn before returning to the UK for an eight-date tour in May 2027.

And there is plenty more Joanne Shaw Taylor coming in Blues Matters. Look out for our full review of The Trouble With Love and an in-depth interview with Joanne in the November issue.

Cover photo by Alysse Gafkjen

The post Joanne Shaw Taylor releases ‘The Trouble With Love’ first appeared on Blues Matters Magazine.

Mixed by Kevin Shirley, whose credits include The Black Crowes, Joanne Shaw Taylor and Joe Bonamassa, the new song follows previous singles ‘Just Watch Me’ and ‘Runnin’ Blind’. The Canadian roots-rock band will bring the new material to the UK next month for a 12-date tour with special guest Spencer Mackenzie.

Frontman Chris Medhurst says ‘Lost in the Highlights’ reflects the pressures that come with a band constantly moving forward, particularly when touring and chasing the next milestone can make it difficult to stay grounded.

Staying grounded in the rush

“‘Lost in the Highlights’ captures the battle to stay grounded when life’s noise and momentum are racing ahead faster than you can process,” says Medhurst. “When you’re constantly on the road, charging towards the next milestone, it’s easy to be swept up in the rush, the gloss and the excitement, and lose sight of what keeps you anchored.”

That tension became central to the song, with The Commoners looking to capture both the excitement of their current momentum and the less certain side of constantly pushing ahead. Musically, they wanted the track to carry plenty of swagger and rock and roll weight while the lyrics deal with the uneasy feeling of moving forward without always being able to see clearly what lies ahead.

“It sets a bold statement for the upcoming third studio album,” adds Medhurst.

Kevin Shirley returns to the mix

Lead guitarist Ross Hayes Citrullo says reconnecting with Kevin Shirley helped give the track the scale and live energy the band were looking for. Shirley’s approach has long centred on capturing the impact of musicians playing together, something that fits naturally with The Commoners’ twin-guitar, Hammond organ and rhythm-heavy sound.

“Kevin’s mixes have this incredible ability to convey the raw energy of a live band while giving it that massive, larger-than-life rock and roll production,” says Citrullo. “He understands the heart of Southern Rock and knows exactly how to make two guitars, a Hammond organ, a heavy rhythm section, and soaring vocals hit you right in the chest.”

‘Lost in the Highlights’ offers another indication of where The Commoners are heading with their third album, following a run of releases that has continued to push their roots-rock sound towards a heavier and more expansive direction.

UK tour starts in Hastings

The Commoners begin their 12-date ‘Runnin’ Blind’ UK tour at The Carlisle in Hastings on 12 November, with Spencer Mackenzie joining as special guest. The run then heads through Bristol, Plymouth, Birmingham, Norwich, Leeds and London before continuing to Kent, Nottingham, Newcastle and Troon.

The tour closes at Band on the Wall in Manchester on 27 November, while the Troon date forms part of the WinterStorm Festival. The shows will give UK audiences the chance to hear the latest material alongside established favourites from the band’s catalogue.

The Commoners UK tour 2026

12 November – The Carlisle, Hastings
13 November – The Exchange, Bristol
14 November – Junction, Plymouth
15 November – Castle & Falcon, Birmingham
17 November – Waterfront, Norwich
18 November – Wardrobe, Leeds
20 November – Dingwalls, London
21 November – The Centre, Birchington
22 November – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
25 November – Anarchy Brew, Newcastle
26 November – WinterStorm Festival, Troon
27 November – Band on the Wall, Manchester

TICKETS Available FROM ALT TICKETS, GIGANTIC,
PLANET ROCK AND THE COMMONERS

‘Lost in the Highlights’ is out now on all major streaming platforms, with an official music video also available. The Commoners’ third studio album will follow in 2027.

The post The Commoners release ‘Lost in the Highlights’ ahead of UK tour first appeared on Blues Matters Magazine.

The Atlanta guitarist, singer and songwriter begins the run at Thekla in Bristol on 17 March before heading to London’s Garage the following night. The tour continues through Manchester, Edinburgh and Nottingham before closing with shows at The Old Brewery Store in Faversham and The Brook in Southampton. Tickets are on sale now.

“I’m really excited to be back in Europe,” says Eddie. “European audiences have always treated me with so much respect. But in all seriousness, it’s been too long since we’ve played over there. The new music has been going over really well live, and I can’t wait to debut it for you all.”

‘Down Here’ arrives in November

The UK dates follow the release of Eddie 9V’s new album Down Here, which arrives on 6 November through Easy Eye Sound. Produced by Grammy-winning producer Dan Auerbach, the record was captured live at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville and expands Eddie’s mix of Southern soul, blues, rock and roll, funk and R&B.

The sessions brought him together with a strong cast of musicians and songwriters, including Marcus King, Pat McLaughlin and Daniel Tashian. Rather than narrowing his sound, the collaborative process allowed Eddie to push further into the different styles that have always sat around the edges of his blues roots.

That direction can already be heard across the singles released from the album. ‘Whole Lot Coming For You’ and ‘Blowin’ Up’ were followed by a radically reworked version of George McCrae’s 1974 hit ‘Rock Your Baby’, while latest single ‘Satisfy The Way I Do’ pushes into a slicker, soulful groove.

From Atlanta clubs to Easy Eye Sound

Raised in Atlanta, Eddie picked up the guitar at six and initially moved through metal and indie rock before a performance by Howlin’ Wolf changed his direction. After discovering Wolf’s 1966 Newport Folk Festival appearance, he began digging deeper into the blues and was soon playing long nights in Atlanta clubs while still in his teens.

His debut album Left My Soul In Memphis arrived in 2019, beginning a steady rise that has since taken his music well beyond the traditional blues circuit. Eddie’s ability to blend vintage Southern sounds with a younger, less reverential approach has increasingly become his calling card, and Down Here looks set to push that further.

Working with Auerbach also places him firmly within the Easy Eye Sound world, where classic soul, blues and roots influences are often recorded with an emphasis on live performance and feel rather than excessive studio polish.

Eddie 9V UK tour 2027

17 March – Thekla, Bristol
18 March – Garage, London
19 March – Locker, Manchester
20 March – Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh
21 March – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
23 March – The Old Brewery Store, Faversham
24 March – The Brook, Southampton

Tickets available here.

Eddie 9V’s new album Down Here will be released on 6 November 2026 through Easy Eye Sound. New single ‘Satisfy The Way I Do’ is available now, along with its accompanying video.

Main article photo by Alysse Gafkjen

The post Eddie 9V announces March 2027 UK headline tour first appeared on Blues Matters Magazine.

The British blues-rock guitarist and singer will open the tour at The Eric Morecambe Centre in Harpenden on 2 May before visiting Leeds, Whitley Bay, London, Bury St Edmunds, Manchester and Birmingham. The run finishes at St Luke’s in Glasgow on 11 May.

A 48-hour Planet Rock pre-sale opened at 10am on Wednesday 21 October, with tickets going on general sale at 10am on Friday 23 October. VIP Meet & Greet packages will also be available for the London, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow shows.

‘The Trouble With Love’ heads to the stage

The tour follows the release of The Trouble With Love, which arrives on 23 October on vinyl, CD and digital formats. The album adds another chapter to a catalogue that has established Shaw Taylor as one of the leading names in contemporary British blues-rock.

Blues Matters described the record as “blues rock with heart, muscle and plenty of scars”, while the album has also received strong reviews from R’N’R Magazine, Fireworks and Blues In Britain. The new material will form part of the 2027 live shows alongside songs from across Shaw Taylor’s career.

Fans can expect selections from more recent albums including Black & Gold, Heavy Soul and Nobody’s Fool, alongside material from The Blues Album. That record topped Billboard’s Blues Album Chart and was named the Independent Blues Broadcasters Association’s most played blues album of 2021.

Earlier albums including Reckless Heart, Wild, The Dirty Truth, Almost Always Never, Diamonds in the Dirt and White Sugar will also be represented, giving the tour the scope to look back across nearly two decades of recorded work.

A career built on guitar and song

Shaw Taylor’s career began to gather momentum after she was discovered by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics while still a teenager. Since then, she has toured internationally, built an extensive catalogue and earned recognition for a combination of guitar playing, songwriting and a vocal style that has become increasingly central to her work.

Over recent years she has continued to expand her audience with albums including The Blues Album, Heavy Soul, Black & Gold and now The Trouble With Love. Rather than relying solely on her reputation as a guitarist, her recent work has increasingly placed equal emphasis on the songs themselves, drawing together blues-rock, soul and more personal writing.

The 2027 UK dates will give audiences the first opportunity to hear much of the new album alongside established favourites from across her back catalogue.

Joanne Shaw Taylor UK tour 2027

2 May – The Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden
3 May – City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds
4 May – Playhouse, Whitley Bay
6 May – Cadogan Hall, London
7 May – The Apex, Bury St Edmunds
8 May – Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester
9 May – Birmingham Town Hall
11 May – St Luke’s, Glasgow

TICKETS ON GENERAL SALE AT 10AM GMT
FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER 2026 FROM
TICKETMASTER AND JOANNESHAWTAYLOR.COM

VIP Meet & Greet tickets will be available for London, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.

The Planet Rock pre-sale is open now, with general sale beginning at 10am on Friday 23 October.

The Trouble With Love is released on 23 October 2026 through Journeyman Records.

The post Joanne Shaw Taylor announces May 2027 UK tour first appeared on Blues Matters Magazine.

Produced by Stuart McCreadie and McConnell, Things Are Looking Up places songwriting firmly at the centre of McConnell’s blues-rock sound. Across ten tracks, the album moves between optimism, self-reflection and a distinctly tongue-in-cheek look at mortality, drawing on a writing career that predates his work as an internationally touring guitarist.

Songs at the heart

McConnell spent part of his earlier career working as an in-house songwriter for Warner Chappell, an experience that continues to shape the way he approaches blues-rock. Rather than building songs simply as vehicles for extended guitar work, his focus remains on melodies, choruses and lyrics that can stand on their own.

That approach runs through Things Are Looking Up. The title track brings a sense of optimism, while ‘Worst Of Me’ turns inwards for a more reflective look at the human condition. ‘Pearly Gates’, meanwhile, tackles mortality from a more humorous angle, helping give the album a broader emotional range.

The ten-track record also includes ‘Back In Town’, ‘Ain’t Gonna Lose’, ‘All About It’, ‘Rip It Up’, ‘Tie Me Down’, ‘Stop Stop Stop’ and ‘Stitch On Me’. It follows McConnell’s 2017 solo album Under My Skin, which was made with Grammy-winning producer Blue Miller and reached number 13 on the European Blues Chart.

Blue Thunder gathers momentum

McConnell formed Blue Thunder in 2023 to take his own material onto the live blues-rock circuit. In a relatively short period, the band has progressed from smaller club appearances to headline shows and festival stages, including the Blackpool International Blues Festival and the Looe Blues Festival.

Their first nationwide headline run culminated in a show at London’s 100 Club, while the current line-up features McConnell on lead vocals and guitar alongside Tsutomu “Atom” Abe on keyboards, Lincoln Roth on bass and vocals, Bob Pears on drums and Donna Thompson on backing vocals. The combination gives McConnell room to keep the songs at the forefront while still delivering the guitar-led sound expected from his live shows.

The coming tour begins at Blues At The Angel in Bardney on 19 October, followed by Barnoldswick Music and Arts Centre on 21 October. A co-headline appearance with Hannah Wicklund follows at Yardbirds in Grimsby on 22 October, with acoustic support from The Boneshakers.

Mick McConnell & Blue Thunder UK dates

19 October – Blues At The Angel, Bardney
21 October – Barnoldswick Music and Arts Centre, Barnoldswick
22 October – Yardbirds, Grimsby, co-headline with Hannah Wicklund
23 October – Blues Bar, Harrogate
24 October – The Flying Circus, Newark
25 October – The Grove, Leeds
27 October – Tuesday Night Music Club, Coulsdon
28 October – Wem Town Hall, Wem
29 October – Tapestry Arts Centre, Bradford
30 October – Duck & Drake, Leeds
1 November – The Clutha, Glasgow
5 November – 13 Market Place, Kendal
6 November – Blues At The Bay, Eaglescliffe
7 November – Whitby Brewery, Whitby
4 December – Looe Blues, Rhythm and Rock Festival
6 December – The Grove, Leeds
10 December – Smile Bar, Huddersfield

Things Are Looking Up will be released on Monday 9 November 2026, with CDs also available to buy at McConnell’s forthcoming live dates. https://www.mickmcconnell.com/

Mick McConnell will also be interviewed in the November 2026 issue of Blues Matters.

The post Mick McConnell announces new album ‘Things Are Looking Up’ first appeared on Blues Matters Magazine.

Released on 14 October, ‘Count My Blessings’ tackles addiction and the difficult reality that stopping an addictive behaviour does not necessarily make everything feel immediately better. For frontman Tom Franklin, the song is about what comes after the decision to stop, when the habit may be gone but the urges, damage and questions surrounding it can remain.

“‘Count My Blessings’ is about the battle with addiction,” says Franklin. “Addiction is a constant battle even after the habit is kicked. The urges don’t just go away, hence the saying once an addict, always an addict. It’s a constant fight.”

Life after addiction

Franklin describes the song as looking beyond the simple idea of recovery as an instant solution. Instead, it explores the frustration of expecting to feel repaired once an addiction has been confronted, only to discover that recovery brings its own challenges.

“It’s about the feeling of, right, I’ve stopped it now, so why don’t I feel better? Why am I not fixed? Why don’t I feel normal? And trying to find that reason to feel whole again.”

The song also touches on the way addiction has traditionally been framed through ideas of temptation, guilt and redemption. Franklin says getting clean can feel like being given a second chance, but stresses that whether the addiction involves alcohol, drugs or gambling, the urges do not simply vanish. Learning healthier ways to deal with them becomes part of the ongoing process.

That subject matter sits comfortably within Hold On Tight, an album built around real-life experiences rather than abstract storytelling. Across its eleven tracks, Wood Burnt Red move through love, loss, resilience, relationships and survival while combining Southern rock, country and blues influences.

‘Hold On Tight’ gathers momentum

Released on 4 September, Hold On Tight is the band’s debut album and was produced by Tyler Spicer. The record features eleven songs written by Wood Burnt Red and Spicer, with Todd Peterson handling the mix and Sam Moses mastering the finished album.

The band comprises Tom Franklin on lead vocals and guitar, Rob Graney on lead guitar, Russ Staples on bass and Ed Baldwin on drums. Their sound draws heavily from Southern rock and modern country-rock, but the storytelling behind the material gives the album much of its identity.

Earlier single ‘Best Things’ took a more humorous look at modern ideas of success and the pressure to maintain a certain lifestyle, while songs such as ‘Drifting’ and ‘Count My Blessings’ move into considerably heavier emotional territory. Together, those different sides of the band help give Hold On Tight a broader range than its Southern rock label might initially suggest.

On the road with Parker Barrow

Wood Burnt Red will spend late November and early December as special guests on Parker Barrow’s UK tour. The run begins with a sold-out show at The Black Heart in London on 25 November before continuing through Norwich, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.

The band then appear at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End festival in January before returning to the road in February as special guests to Danielle Nicole. That five-date run visits London, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds and Newcastle between 17 and 21 February.

Parker Barrow UK tour

25 November – The Black Heart, London – Sold out
26 November – Waterfront Studio, Norwich
27 November – Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes
1 December – Metronome, Nottingham
2 December – Institute 3, Birmingham
3 December – Academy 3, Manchester
4 December – Bannerman’s, Edinburgh

Danielle Nicole UK tour

17 February – The 100 Club, London
18 February – Academy 3, Manchester
19 February – Oran Mor, Glasgow
20 February – Brudenell, Leeds
21 February – The Cluny, Newcastle

‘Count My Blessings’ is available now on all major streaming platforms, with an accompanying lyric video also available online. Hold On Tight is out now digitally and on CD and vinyl.

You can also read our full interview with Wood Burnt Red in this month’s free issue of Blues Matters at bluesmatters.com/current-issue/.

The post Wood Burnt Red release ‘Count My Blessings’ ahead of UK tours first appeared on Blues Matters Magazine.

Produced by Kevin Shirley, the album tackles love, heartbreak, resilience and self-discovery, but there is nothing soft-focus or sentimental about Taylor’s approach. Her blues remains tough, muscular and firmly guitar-led.

The title track immediately sets the tone. Featuring Joe Bonamassa, The Trouble With Love rides a driving groove as Taylor’s gritty vocals wrestle with the contradictions of love. When the guitars open up, the song delivers the kind of soaring release she does so well. It is blues-rock with plenty of bite, balancing restraint with full-throttle guitar fire.

Hell Or High Water digs deeper into the blues, bringing a gospel-inflected sense of determination to its message of resilience, while Tired Of Being Right introduces a more confrontational edge. Bad Boy keeps the swagger firmly intact, with Taylor sounding every inch the seasoned blues-rock veteran as she turns up the heat.

What Good Is My Love? brings Orianthi into the frame, adding another formidable guitar voice to a song steeped in rejection and emotional frustration.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is This Is Who I Am, Taylor’s soulful interpretation of the Celeste song. Rather than simply reproducing the original, she makes it her own, delivering a powerful vocal performance before unleashing a passionate guitar solo. It is a striking moment of vulnerability from an artist more commonly associated with firepower.

Elsewhere, The Girl That You Loved Before, Never Gonna Please ’Em All, You And Me (Rachel’s Song) and Death Wish take the record into darker emotional territory.

The Trouble With Love is blues-rock with heart, muscle and plenty of scars.

Joanne Shaw Taylor’s new album “The Trouble With Love” is released by Journeyman Records via www.joanneshawtaylor.com

by Colin Campbell

More blues reviews are available to read for free in our monthly digital magazine at bluesmatters.com.

The post Joanne Shaw Taylor – The Trouble With Love first appeared on Blues Matters Magazine.

Released through Provogue Records / Artone Label Group on 9 October, Running Wild is described by Schorr as one of the most personal records of her career, exploring desire, resilience, freedom and transformation. The album will follow in the USA on 30 October, while Schorr is already deep into an extensive European tour that continues through the end of November.

‘Cool Hand Rider’ follows previous singles ‘Running Wild’ and ‘Mr. In The Middle’, but takes the album’s themes of desire and freedom in a more physical direction, beginning with Schorr’s love of horses before developing into something considerably more suggestive.

From horseback to desire

“It began with my love of horses and that intoxicating sense of freedom I feel when I’m riding,” Schorr explains. “The power, the movement, the adrenaline, and the feeling of surrendering yourself completely to the moment.”

As the song developed, however, the rider became a metaphor for something else. Schorr says it evolved into a song about chemistry and desire, and about “a woman who isn’t afraid to want what she wants, or to go after it.”

“That’s what I love about songwriting,” she adds. “You think you’re holding the reins, and then the song takes over and carries you somewhere far more dangerous and exciting than you expected.”

The accompanying video follows the same idea, mixing footage of Schorr with her Harley-Davidson with projections created by graphic artist Kee Koo. Road imagery, lights, motion and footage of the band in rehearsal are used to create something fast-moving and instinctive rather than simply illustrating the song’s lyrics.

“We wanted to create a world that felt fast, seductive and alive,” says Schorr. “At its heart, ‘Cool Hand Rider’ is a song that was always meant to come alive onstage.”

‘Running Wild’ out now

Running Wild continues a career that began with Schorr’s Mike Vernon-produced debut A Force of Nature in 2016 and has since included Never Say Never, Live in Europe and her collaboration with Robin Trower on 2023’s Joyful Sky.

The new record finds Schorr increasingly willing to follow songs wherever they lead rather than worrying about fitting a particular musical shape. That philosophy was already evident on the title track, which explored the tension between passion and control, while ‘Mr. In The Middle’ focused on the push and pull between two people caught between attraction and commitment.

“There’s a moment when you stop trying to fit the shape the world has made for you and start listening to the person you’ve been becoming all along,” Schorr says of the album. “I’ve reached a deeper understanding of who I am as an artist. I’m still searching and learning, but I trust my instincts more now and worry less about whether a song is behaving itself.”

She describes the songs as being about “self-discovery, defiance, resilience and transformation”, with that restless spirit running through the album from beginning to end.

European tour continues

Schorr is currently touring Europe in support of Running Wild, with the extensive run continuing through Germany, Czechia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Austria, Hungary and Switzerland.

The tour continues tonight, 10 October, at Life House in Stemwede, Germany, before moving through much of northern and central Europe over the coming weeks. The final scheduled date takes place at Mini Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland, on 29 November.

‘Cool Hand Rider’ is available now, with the official video also online.

Running Wild is out now in Europe through Provogue Records / Artone Label Group and will be released in the USA on 30 October 2026.

ORDER HERE

The post Sari Schorr releases ‘Cool Hand Rider’ as ‘Running Wild’ arrives first appeared on Blues Matters Magazine.

EPIC & HISTORIC NIGHT IN NYC FOR BUDDY GUY’S 90^TH BIRTHDAY CONCERT CELEBRATION AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL

EPIC!!! An historical birthday concert celebration for the ages in honor of blues legend Buddy Guy and his 90 years around the sun went down in New York City on October 1^st at the prestigious Radio City Music Hall. The star headliner was the legend himself – Buddy Guy – joined on stage with an all-star cast of rock, blues and soul musicians, mentees, and friends tributing the blues master with stellar performance after stellar performance. The epic night encapsulated Buddy’s more than 60 years playing the blues in a New York State Of Mind. (for NYC history see BM Oct. issue) The concert went on for more than three and a half hours breaking NYC curfew laws in stellar fashion to the euphoria of the sold-out, mostly standing house and Buddy’s determination to keep on playin’ because ‘Damn Right, He’s Got The Blues!’  

Music Director of the evening, drummer Steve Jordan (Rolling Stones) set up the show shouting out to the Radio City crowd that “tonight we are turning this place into a juke joint!” Jordan doubled as host and drummer for the house band “The Blues Beat” that included Ivan Neville (keys), Isaiah Sharkey (guitar), Willie Weeks (bass) and Kim Wilson (harp). They went on to warm up the crowd with a few tunesand an announcement by Jordan that Buddy has a new studio album coming out in 2027 and many of these guys were on it. (referring to the house band and musical guests)

BUDDY’S GOT THE BLUES: A 90^TH BIRTHDAY CONCERT CELEBRATION

The Blackbird Presents birthday concert honored Buddy Guy’s legacy and made good on Buddy’s promise to blues greats Muddy Waters and BB King to keep the blues alive.  The multi-Grammy award-winner has pushed through to make sure the blues stayed in the musical mix and in folks’ minds throughout his career and the evolution of music genres, the music industry and its fans. This golden opportunity to do just that in such a large-scale event rarely comes around, and the New York City massive concert undertaking did not disappoint!

It was a night of killer guitar playing, shredding and lick trading, iconic songs penned by the masters with nods to the blues past and present with hints to the future – filled with expressions of admiration and love on stage by his musical friends and capped by the roll-out of his birthday cake and the entire music hall singing along to “Happy Birthday.”

After an audio introduction by Buddy, the evening began in true blues fashion with three guitarists center stage – sitting in chairs playing acoustic – reminiscent of ‘old school’ front porch scenes you’ve seen down south. Buddy, flanked by Isaiah Sharkey and Derek Trucks sang  John Lee Hooker’s classic  “I’m In The Mood For Love” setting up the nostalgic celebratory night!

What followed will surely go down as a night to remember – Epic!!

THE ALL-STAR LINEUP

All-Star line-up on stage at Radio City Music Hall. Photo courtesy of Blackbird Presents

The all-star lineup showcased the promise of the next generations of blues legends and the current icons and elder bluesmen to the living legends and grandfathers of the blues –Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy. Whether it was an individual or paired performance, the strength of the blues genre was well represented.

Christone Kingfish Ingraham paired with Robert Randolph, Joe Bonamassa with Eric Gales, Gales with Samantha Fish, Kenny Wayne Shephard with Ally Venable, Gary Clarke, Jr., Texas legends Billy F. Gibbons and Jimmy Vaughan, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Shemeika Copeland and Buddy Guy, Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy, John Mayer and Guy, Mayer and Tedeschi… just to drop a few pairings.

THE FORCE OF THE BLUES WAS EVERYWHERE AND YOU COULD FEEL IT’S PRESENCE!

One of the many wonderful aspects of the concert was how they incorporated the legendary bluesmen of the past through song selection (Buddy’s mentors and partner). The greats like Muddy Waters, BB King, Willie Dixon, Otis Rush and Junior Wells all had a huge impact on Buddy’s life as well as all the artists.

A few song selection examples:

Kenny Wayne Shephard and Ally Venable performed a Wilie Dixon song that Buddy originally recorded “Let Me Love You Baby.”

Samantha Fish and Eric Gales did “Baby Please Don’t Leave Me” originally recorded by Buddy.

Tedeschi Trucks played Otis Rush’s “All of Your Love” and a Junior Wells tune “Messin’ With The Kid.”  

Aloe Blacc sang “The Thrill Is Gone” by BB King; Joe Bonamassa and Eric Gales traded guitars on Jimmy Reed’s “Baby What You Want Me To Do.”

Shemekia Copland and Buddy Guy sang a Willie Dixon-penned tune “I Can’t Quit You Baby.”

John Mayer and Tedeschi performed Otis Redding’s “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember.”

(full set list below)

HIGHLIGHTS: THE TOUCHING ACCOLADES

Buddy Guy is the guitar hero and idol to many a guitar player, especially to blues players and this was never more evident than this star-studded evening. Eric Gales attributed his life and career to his mentor and before strutting off the stage, he headed straight to Buddy’s table at stage right to personally acknowledge and thank him.

Gary Clark, Jr. walked onto the stage saying how surreal this was for him as he had Buddy Guy posters up on his wall.

John Mayer called him “a hero, a friend, a mentor.”

Chicago’s Shemeika Copeland was 19 years old when she first met Buddy. She so lovingly praised him as her mentor and family friend who she’s learned so much from. The two Chicago blues giants were simply adorable together, you just knew how much they mean to each other. And just like that, Shemeika belted out “Rock Me Baby” and “I Can’t Quit You Baby” to the guitar master’s sweet sounds.

One of the most endearing moments of the night was when Buddy’s very dear friend and fellow living blues legend Bobby Rush (92) came on stage and fully unscripted, proclaimed his undying gratitude and praise. “Thank you for letting me be in your life. Thank you for being a part of my life. Happy birthday to my friend.”  Buddy joined him on stage and you could see the genuine love and admiration the two have for each other. The banter between the two was off the charts – epic in it’s own right.

Then the two senior blues statesmen got straight down to business – their way – off book at times, playing the tunes they grew up on. “Chicken Heads” and “Ships On The Oceans.”

Buddy Guy was having such a good time and seemed to get even more energized as the night went on. It was clear that he did not want to leave the stage, despite the fact that it was well past curfew. That’s when Bobby Rush, who was on the stage with Buddy exclaimed,“It’s the man’s birthday, let him do what he wants!” And Buddy did just that.

The historic evening closed with the full roster performing “Got My Mojo Working,” which was followed by a birthday cake wheeled out on stage. That’s when everyone in the NYC venue joined in to sing “Happy Birthday.”

“This is the biggest birthday I’ve ever had,” Guy said. “I don’t want to cry, but you made me feel so good tonight.”

A LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE: KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE

It’s well known how much influence Mr. Buddy Guy has had on modern blues over the course of his life.  His determination to keep the blues alive and forward is equally well known.  A hint of a fresh take on his brand of blues may have been revealed at Radio City when Mayer and Guy played a funky new song from Buddy’s forthcoming new album, produced by Steve Jordan due for a 2027 release.  

SET LIST*

1. “I’m in the Mood,” Buddy Guy, Derek Trucks and Isaiah Sharkey

2. “Juke,” The Blues Beat House Band

3. “Early in the Morning,” The Blues Beat House Band

4. “Crosscut Saw,” Robert Randolph and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

5. “Shake Your Moneymaker,” Robert Randolph and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

6. “Let Me Love You Baby,” Kenny Wayne Shepard

7. “Steamroller Blues,” Kenny Wayne Shepard and Ally Venable

8. “Many of Many Words,” Joe Bonamassa

9. “Baby What You Want Me to Do,” Joe Bonamassa and Eric Gales

10. “Baby Please Don’t Leave Me,” Eric Gales and Samantha Fish

11. “Rock Me Baby,” Shemekia Copeland and Buddy Guy

12. “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” Shemekia Copeland and Buddy Guy

13. “Lightning Boogie,” Jimmie Vaughan

14. “Texas Flood,” Jimmie Vaughan and Billy Gibbons

15. “Boogie Chillen,” Billy Gibbons

16. “The Thrill Is Gone,” Aloe Blacc

17. “Stormy Monday Blues,” Aloe Blacc and Buddy Guy

18. “Born Under a Bad Sign,” Doyle Bramhall II

19. “All of Your Love,” Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks

20. “Messin’ With the Kid,” Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks

21. “Chicken Heads,” Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy

22. “Ships on the Ocean,” Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy

23. “Catfish,” Gary Clark Jr.

24. “If Trouble Was Money,” Gary Clark Jr.

25. “Snatch Back and Hold It,” Gary Clark Jr. and Buddy Guy

26. “Dreams to Remember,” John Mayer and Susan Tedeschi

27. “Real Motha For Ya,” John Mayer and Buddy Guy

28. “What Kind of Woman Is This,” John Mayer and Buddy Guy

29. “Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues,” Buddy Guy

30. “Hoochie Coochie Man,” Buddy Guy

31. “How Blue Can You Get,” Buddy Guy

32. “Sweet Home Chicago,” Buddy Guy

33. “Got My Mojo Working,” Full Cast

*the bottom of the list may not be exact due to last minute impromptu appearance changes

The post NEW YORK’S GOT THE BLUES IN A BUDDY GUY STATE OF MIND first appeared on Blues Matters Magazine.