Best Blues Journeyman

Atlanta has its fair share of homegrown blues journeymen, but few can boast the longevity or have logged the tens of thousands of miles guitarist TINSLEY ELLIS has. In addition to touring the globe, he’s churned out rugged Southern-tinged blues, rock, and soul discs at a steady clip since 1988’s appropriately titled solo debut Georgia Blue. Starting in 2013 Ellis achieved newfound praise for a series of impressive albums on his Heartfixer imprint, named after his first band, the Heartfixers. At one release a year, starting with the rollicking all-instrumental Get It, and the rigorous road work, Ellis shows that even as he’s pushing 60 there’s plenty of gas left in his tank. This year’s acclaimed Red Clay Soul fortifies his reputation as Atlanta’s blues-rock ambassador, one who, like the greats that inspired him, only improves with age. www.tinsleyellis.com. less...