Vinyl of the Week - 21 June 2020

The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, Gary Clark Jr.

This week we look at the modern blues guitarist and song writer Gary Clark Jr. Born in Austin, Texas in 1984, Gary Clark Jr. has developed a fusion style all of his own combining blues, rock, soul and even hip hop. Gary started playing the guitar at age 12. Throughout his teens he performed at a number of small gigs and as a result met Cliff Antone of Antone’s Music Club, the club that had hosted Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan while they were redefining blues. He went on to perform with Jimmie and others in the Austin music community who helped him get established. Gary became a prolific live performer and played with many of his idols such as Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, B.B. King and even opened for The Stones in 2015. He has also contributed to tracks by the Foo Fighters and sang on ‘I Want You Back’, the Jackson 5 cover on Sheryl Crow’s album 100 Miles from Memphis. The Story of Sonny Boy Slim is the fourth studio album by this hugely accomplished artist and consists of 13 original songs. The name of the album is the combination of his two nicknames; ‘Sonny Boy’ the name his mother called him, and ‘Slim’ as he was known in the Texas blues scene due to his tall, thin stature. I love every track but the ones I love a little more are ‘Grinder’, ‘Church’ and ‘Down To Ride’. This album highlights the fact that Gary Clark Jr. is one of the best guitarists around today. Essential listening for anyone who loves great music - DS