TOMMY CASTRO PREMIERES VIDEO OF A BLUESMAN CAME TO TOWN
Tommy Castro is one of the foremost practitioners of electric blues. Searing delivery, rousing and teeming with emotion…stoked with fire and finesse. The album is a revelatory experience, one that stands as not only Tommy Castro’s most essential album to date, but a sheer, soaring tour-de-force as well.
—Living Blues
The new album reminds us of just how talented Castro is -- a convincing singer, rugged guitarist, and exciting performer. Castro’s sheer enthusiasm makes this a highlight of his bulging catalog.
—American Songwriter
Tommy Castro has been a dynamic presence on San Francisco’s blues scene since he first appeared in the ’80s. He just released a new album, A Bluesman Came To Town, and it’s one of his best.
—East Bay Express
Internationally renowned guitarist, singer and songwriter Tommy Castro has premiered his new video of A Bluesman Came To Town, the title track from his dynamic, trailblazing new album. Released on September 17, Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town debuted at #2 on the Billboard Blues Chart and has been on the chart ever since. Since then, critics have agreed it's among the best of his long career, and fans have been lining up to see Tommy and his band, The Painkillers, perform live all across the country.
Radio response to the new album has been equally enthusiastic. A Bluesman Came To Town currently sits at #1 on the Living Blues Radio Chart while the album’s first single, Somewhere, was the most played song at B.B. King’s Bluesville on SiriusXM. The album is also at or near the top of the radio charts in the UK, Australia and France.
Much of the video -- produced by Castro's son, Skyeler Williams and directed by Painkillers bassist Randy McDonald -- was shot in in West Marin, California at the famed Rancho Nicasio roadhouse. It features Castro singing and playing guitar interspersed with images of legendary blues performers including Hound Dog Taylor and B.B. King. Talking about the song, Castro says, "Most musicians can point to a time when they saw or heard an artist that changed their life forever. I remember going to Elvin Bishop shows when I was young. He was one of the guys that inspired me the most, along with Taj Mahal, Johnny Winter and B.B. King."
Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town is a roots music odyssey. This special project was composed by Castro along with Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Tom Hambridge. Through its 13 songs, the album tells the tale of a young man, working on his family farm, who gets bitten by the blues bug. He masters the guitar and heads out on the road seeking fame and fortune, only to find what he’s left behind is the treasure he’s been looking for. "A Bluesman Came To Town isn’t a story about me," says Castro. "It’s pulled from some of my friends’ and my experiences, though. I’ve seen first-hand for a lot of years what it’s like out there on the road.”
Throughout his long, constantly evolving career, guitarist, singer and songwriter Castro has always remained true to his roots while exploring and creating new music, and he has taken his thousands of devoted fans right along with him. Ranging from horn-fueled R&B to piping hot blues to fiery, stripped-down rock ‘n’ roll, each of his 16 albums is solidly built upon Castro’s unshakable musical foundation—a dynamic mix of 1960s-influenced guitar-fueled blues, testifying Memphis-soaked blue-eyed soul and Latin-tinged East San Jose funk, all driven by Castro’s grab-you-by-the-collar vocals and passionate guitar work. Blues Music Magazine says, "Tommy Castro is one of the best…a great artist. He makes playing rough feel easy. Castro’s guitar is more than a melody maker. It’s as important as the lyrics in telling the story."
Castro is a natural storyteller, and the road has always been his second home. His friend, famed guitarist Joe Bonamassa says, "Tommy has always been top of the heap among blues guitar players. And he always puts on a great show." With many more performances across the United States to come, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers -- bassist Randy McDonald, drummer Bowen Brown and keyboardist Michael Emerson -- continue to reconnect with fans all over the country. He and The Painkillers will instantly ignite a crowd, turn them into loyal fans, and then keep those fans coming back for more. Castro has traveled hundreds of thousands of miles and performed thousands of gigs at clubs, concert halls, and festivals all over the world. ” Blues Revue simply states, "Tommy Castro can do no wrong."
