New York-born Joe Bonamassa began his blues-rock career at an early age, after receiving a Chiquita guitar from his father at the age of 4.  By age 7, he was using a full-size guitar and copying the playing style of Stevie Ray Vaughan.  By the age of 12, he was opening with country musician Danny Gatton’s band for B.B. King as well as Foreigner, Joe Cocker, Gregg Allman, and others. 

At 14, he formed the band Bloodline with Berry Oakley, Jr., Eric Davis (son of Miles) and Waylon Krieger (son of Robby), which produced one album with two hit singles.  However, Bonamassa’s talents would become even more phenomenal after the group disbanded, which led to his pursuit of a solo career.

Bonamassa’s first solo album, A New Day Yesterday, debuted in 2000, inspired by Jethro Tull’s hit single.  Joe brought on drummer Kenney Kramme and bassist Eric Czar in 2001 to tour and promote his first album.  In 2002, Joe’s second album, So It’s Like That hit #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart.  His third album, Blues Deluxe, a tribute album in 2003 also reached #1 on the Blues Chart.  After touring again in 2004, Bonamassa and company went back to the studio to work on album number four, Had to Cry Today for release in 2005.  However, before setting out on tour again, Joe revamped his band to add Mark Epstein on bass and Bogie Bowles on drums.  In 2006, You & Me, Joe Bonamassa’s fifth album released and hit #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart.  Sloe Gin, which was his sixth album came out in 2007 and has also spent time at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart.

Joe Bonamassa has been known for his ability to “think outside the box” while still staying true to the roots of traditional blues.  He is best known for using contemporary and rock-n-roll inflections to make his own style of blues.  This method has worked well for Bonamassa, who was named BluesWax Artist of the Year in 2004 and 2005; in addition, he received BluesWax Album of the Year for 2004.  He was also named “Best Blues Guitarist” by Guitar Player Magazine’s 2007 Readers’ Choice Awards.

Bonamassa loves to do live performances, so often spends time on the road touring to promote new albums between releases.  He tends to do over 100 dates each year throughout Europe and the States.  Joe serves on the board of directors for Blues Foundation, and is a huge supporter of the Blues In The Schools program.  Joe Bonamassa is truly an inspiration to young musicians worldwide, and a legend in his own right.