I love Tab Benoit but he's 49 years old and has been putting out recorded music for almost 25 years now.

Magic Slim never did much for me.

(and the original response is now gone...it's back again, below!)

Alvin Youngblood Hart - like him, too, but he's 54 and has been recording for 20+ years.
[Edited on 7/11/2017 by berkhath]

[Edited on 7/11/2017 by berkhath]

The uncharted paths on the fretboard are few, You'll never get the impact of the originals. That includes the Allman Brothers. Something always has a feel or echo of songs past it seems and the depths are lacking some.

I recently saw a friends band Adrenaline Mob in the soon to be defunct Webster Hall. I was excited about an opener called The Wild. I got stuck in traffic and missed documenting them. They're pretty wild. http://www.thewildrocknroll.com/ . The Canadian rockers bring a classic rock punch that has some AC/DC style vibe. I will catch them in the future, fun band.

I like Tab Benoit who's been around a while. He has a Cajun blues uniqueness, but his style echoes a bit in his multiple releases. I do love him. http://www.tabbenoit.com/

Shawn Holt put a disc out. Daddy Told Me. He's the blues offspring of Magic Slim (Morris Holt). I'd love to hear more from him. https://www.shawnholtandtheteardrops.com/

I'd also like to throw some love to Alvin Youngblood Hart. Another blues rock Gent flying under some radars. http://www.ayhmusic.com/

We've enjoyed the hell out of Slam Allen & Walter Trout the last couple of years.

Saw both of them last week in Syracuse for the BluesFest.

Neither one is new/modern but both can play.

I love Tab Benoit but he's 49 years old and has been putting out recorded music for almost 25 years now.

Magic Slim never did much for me.

(and the original response is now gone...)

[Edited on 7/11/2017 by berkhath]

Sorry I was adding in Alvin. I Love Magic Slim's discography. Great package of biting guitar and great blues vocals. Driving rhythms like Jimmy Reed and biting guitar like Albert Collins. 2 of my deep fav's.

There hasn't been a great band or artist since Nirvana, if you want fresh new talent check out the Quebe Sisters.

Marcus King comes to mind that boy can play check him out if you can.

yeah, Marcus I know. More like the new Derek/Warren, perhaps.

Marcus King comes to mind that boy can play check him out if you can.

Ok, I got a few "southern musicians" as Bill Graham was known to say:

#1 is Selwyn Birchwood, early 30's, from the Tampa area. On Alligator Records:

#2 is Mr Sipp, from Mississippi, early 40's:

Jontavious Willis, early 20's from Georgia, a bit more old school:

Jarekus Singleton, early 30's from Mississippi:

Eddie Cotton is pretty good, too, the most BB King like:

There hasn't been a great band or artist since Nirvana, if you want fresh new talent check out the Quebe Sisters.

This is bananas. But this and a couple of the other answers do get at something important: there isn't much innovation in blues-based music now. There are great players and a few of them are young, and some of them combine familiar elements in fun ways. But the Three Kings were helping to create a new genre and that genre is pretty set in stone now. If you want to see someone who is helping to establish or really push the boundaries of a style of music, you have to look elsewhere.

St. Vincent is a great songwriter and I like her guitar playing, but she's more likely to use the guitar to make scary noises than to rip off a long solo. Gary Clark Jr. can do that, but I haven't heard a really memorable song from him yet.

Pretty solid point there, Marley. But I reckon...or hope...when we least expect it, something will come along that will be new/fresh/revolutionary. And it seems that time is about due!

There hasn't been a great band or artist since Nirvana, if you want fresh new talent check out the Quebe Sisters.

This is bananas. But this and a couple of the other answers do get at something important: there isn't much innovation in blues-based music now. There are great players and a few of them are young, and some of them combine familiar elements in fun ways. But the Three Kings were helping to create a new genre and that genre is pretty set in stone now. If you want to see someone who is helping to establish or really push the boundaries of a style of music, you have to look elsewhere.

St. Vincent is a great songwriter and I like her guitar playing, but she's more likely to use the guitar to make scary noises than to rip off a long solo. Gary Clark Jr. can do that, but I haven't heard a really memorable song from him yet.

Pretty solid point there, Marley. But I reckon...or hope...when we least expect it, something will come along that will be new/fresh/revolutionary. And it seems that time is about due!

There hasn't been a great band or artist since Nirvana, if you want fresh new talent check out the Quebe Sisters.

This is bananas. But this and a couple of the other answers do get at something important: there isn't much innovation in blues-based music now. There are great players and a few of them are young, and some of them combine familiar elements in fun ways. But the Three Kings were helping to create a new genre and that genre is pretty set in stone now. If you want to see someone who is helping to establish or really push the boundaries of a style of music, you have to look elsewhere.

St. Vincent is a great songwriter and I like her guitar playing, but she's more likely to use the guitar to make scary noises than to rip off a long solo. Gary Clark Jr. can do that, but I haven't heard a really memorable song from him yet.

In the different genres of music that I listen to, I think the only one being truly innovative -- albeit in a throwback kind of way -- is Sturgill Simpson. He has influences but is not derivative, and to me the innovation is seen in the way that he really mixes soul with his country (though the two were never much separated, i.e., Ray Charles).

Marcus King is interesting, but talk about derivative, half the time it sounds like I'm listening to a Warren Haynes clone. He kind of reminds me of how, on his first couple of albums, KWS sounded so much like SRV.

There hasn't been a great band or artist since Nirvana

Couldn't disagree more on at least a couple of points.

Nirvana great? Leave that for another thread. Met them, saw them and have heard it all.

No great bands or artists? You are not looking very hard. I bet there is a great artist/band playing within driving distance from every member on here tonight. Barring people living on a farm or a forest. Especially the blues.

Things like comparisons are really loaded questions. Look at the blues and how it has expanded. Bonamassa plays a heavier version. Is he the new "King"? Sure is popular and can definitely play. Not really traditional and pretty much just copying the formula that Gary Moore was using.

Looking for something new or experimental? With the Blues? That is a pretty tall order and pretty rare. And would likely draw debate from some about how original it would be.

Gary Moore and Albert King
Stormy Monday

But there are killer blues players everywhere - just have to leave the house to see them.

Honey Island Swamp Band is relatively,sort of,kinda newish bluesy,funky,swampy band that alot of people would like !

I like Davey knowles a lot, he has been out there now probably 10 years.

Not sure, no one comes to mind. I tend to dwell in the past for the my blues listening.

So the question is, do you mean "Who plays traditional blues in an excellent way that recalls the awesome power of the 3 kings?" Or do you mean "Who is a new artist with the talent and soul at the level of the classic artists, even if he or she doesnt sound just like them?"

Great question, Jim - I reckon definitely the first, and perhaps/hopefully the second.

So the question is, do you mean "Who plays traditional blues in an excellent way that recalls the awesome power of the 3 kings?" Or do you mean "Who is a new artist with the talent and soul at the level of the classic artists, even if he or she doesnt sound just like them?"

"Gary Clark Jr. can do that, but I haven't heard a really memorable song from him yet."

I think this was a totally legit criticism of Clark until his last studio album, The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim. I think that album represents a new level of songwriting for him. Your mileage may vary on that, but check it out if you haven't heard it.

For my money he really is the only person in the "blues guitar god" slot right now who is innovating and doing something interesting. If anything, a lot of blues purists don't like him because he mixes it up TOO much. Sonny Boy Slim has songs that sound more like Prince than BB King, but I don't have a problem with that. I really, really like that album.

It feels to me like Clark is reclaiming the blues as black music. Why shouldn't it be mixed with other popular forms of African-American music like hip-hop? Because a bunch of white blues fans don't like it? That doesn't seem like a very good reason.

Gary Clark just sold out the Tabernacle here in Atlanta, a 3000 seat venue. Bonamassa is the only "blues guitarist" under 60 who can play bigger venues than Clark, and I simply don't have the words to describe how much I prefer Gary Clark Jr. over Joe Bonamassa.

"who are the new/modern Albert/BB/Freddie Kings?"

Short answer: there will never be another Albert, BB or Freddie. There probably shouldn't be. Those guys made landmark contributions and inspired new generations of guitarists. If you're looking for imitators or blues guitarists you can probably find some real good ones in your local club scene.

Derek Trucks, Luther Dickenson, Gary Clark - all great players - all inspirational in their own right.

It's traditional blues but for my money there's no finer player out there than Tinsley Ellis.

How about that Devon Allman guy or his old band mate Mike Zito !

Huge Gary Clark fan here. His solo on Please Come Home form his live album just floors me.

He's not the "best" guitarist ever. But he's different and he has a GROOVE that makes up for his technical deficiencies. It's almost like his rawness is part of what makes him what he is.

Also, let's see how his career pans out, but Quinn Sullivan is really really catching my ear. And that says something because I had oft dismissed him as a sideshow "oh look as this young player" kind of thing. But he's coming into his own.

I love Gary Clark. When I saw him Live he had another guitar player. That guy was fantastic also. They opened for Derek's band. Derek sat in with them and he returned the favor to Derek & Susan.

Awesome night of music.

There's a lot of great blues players out there....no one can replace the 3 Kings....there's just something special about each of them...

Most are recreating what they brought to music....there really isn't anything that I've heard coming from modern players that feels as "real" as those who created the sound...Doesn't mean there isn't a whole lot of great players

"Gary Clark Jr. can do that, but I haven't heard a really memorable song from him yet."

I think this was a totally legit criticism of Clark until his last studio album, The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim. I think that album represents a new level of songwriting for him. Your mileage may vary on that, but check it out if you haven't heard it.

For my money he really is the only person in the "blues guitar god" slot right now who is innovating and doing something interesting. If anything, a lot of blues purists don't like him because he mixes it up TOO much. Sonny Boy Slim has songs that sound more like Prince than BB King, but I don't have a problem with that. I really, really like that album.

It feels to me like Clark is reclaiming the blues as black music. Why shouldn't it be mixed with other popular forms of African-American music like hip-hop? Because a bunch of white blues fans don't like it? That doesn't seem like a very good reason.

Gary Clark just sold out the Tabernacle here in Atlanta, a 3000 seat venue. Bonamassa is the only "blues guitarist" under 60 who can play bigger venues than Clark, and I simply don't have the words to describe how much I prefer Gary Clark Jr. over Joe Bonamassa.

Excellent post Rob. The first person I thought of was Gary Clark, Jr. when I saw the title of this thread. I've seen Clark on a couple of the Crossroads DVD's and he has really impressed me but I don't own anything. In response to your post I'm going to go out and pick up Sonny Boy Slim, probably today.

Another comment here which turned my ear:

Huge Gary Clark fan here. His solo on Please Come Home form his live album just floors me.

He's not the "best" guitarist ever. But he's different and he has a GROOVE that makes up for his technical deficiencies. It's almost like his rawness is part of what makes him what he is.

[Edited on 7/16/2017 by robslob]

If you've got six minutes, please check out Mr. Cain. Unfortunately if you live outside of the Bay area it's likely you don't know who Chris Cain is. I've only been listening to him for 33 years. But truth is, he's got fans all over the world including New York, Chicago and Portland, Oregon. He just got back from a Festival in New Zealand. Two years ago they played Buddy Guy's Legends in Chitown. If you don't think he's the real deal.........well, then.......I guess we just have a big difference of opinion.

And here's two more of my favorite Bay area gunslingers. NO, Daniel Castro and Tommy Castro are not related.

"Gary Clark Jr. can do that, but I haven't heard a really memorable song from him yet."

I think this was a totally legit criticism of Clark until his last studio album, The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim. I think that album represents a new level of songwriting for him. Your mileage may vary on that, but check it out if you haven't heard it.

I'll have to give it a listen in that case.

For my money he really is the only person in the "blues guitar god" slot right now who is innovating and doing something interesting. If anything, a lot of blues purists don't like him because he mixes it up TOO much.
[...] It feels to me like Clark is reclaiming the blues as black music. Why shouldn't it be mixed with other popular forms of African-American music like hip-hop? Because a bunch of white blues fans don't like it? That doesn't seem like a very good reason.

Co-signing all of this. Blues is one of those genres that was developed primarily by black people and the fan base and economics are such that it's overwhelmingly played and listened to by white people now. People can like what they like, obviously, but I like to see a younger black man taking an interest in the style and doing it really well.

This Gent opened for Sonny and had a nice set, I was sadly tardy (lost word w/new liberal applications?) and erred unthinkably double clicking the record button and got off sequence and had camera in stand by mode for his last 2 songs and the encore was energetic with teeth playing and inspired jamming. I suck! I was zooming in and out with a nice attempted capture and the camera was giggling at me? A lost opportunity that I regret. He got a late start and has a few discs out already. Here's a tune by Toronzo Cannon.

Official Site
https://www.toronzocannon.com/

When Will You Tell Him About Me?