WINNER TAKES ALL

Twenty years ago, Joe Bonamassa placed a bet on himself and hit the jackpot. Now he celebrates two decades of musical independence with Blues Deluxe Vol. 2, a return to the album concept that made him the blues' reigning champion. Guitar Player visits Nerdville for a little chat and a look at a few of Joe's very fine vintage axes.

- JOE BOSSO

IN 2003, JOE Bonamassa was nowhere. The 26-year-old guitarist had enjoyed a fast start to his career. Hailed as a prodigy, he was mentored by the likes of Danny Gatton and had toured with B.B. King. Before he reached 18, he was part of a group called Bloodline that featured the sons of Miles Davis, Robby Krieger, and Berry Oakley. Everybody said “Smokin’ Joe” Bonamassa was going places. 

By the mid-’90s, Bloodline was over and Bonamassa went solo. But after two critically hailed albums — 2000’s A New Day Yesterday and 2002’s So, It’s Like That — failed to click with record buyers, the guitarist took a grim assessment of where things stood. “Things were bad,” he says. “I was dropped by one label, and another label I signed to went out of business. My booking agent dropped me. I really didn’t know what to do.”