Any discussion of the world’s best guitarists would include legends that Tommy Castro lists among his influences — Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Mike Bloomfield. But the fact is, Castro himself should be a part of that conversation. With a commanding vocal style that leans toward Delbert McClinton’s gravel-and-soul approach and a furious guitar attack that blends every iteration of the Blues with blustery Classic Rock, buttery R&B and thumping Funk, Castro has been channeling his heroes into his singular musical vision over the past four decades.
Castro made his bones playing in a succession of San Francisco cover bands in the ’70s, which set the stage for his successful stint with The Dynatones in the ’80s. In 1991, Castro launched his solo career with The Tommy Castro Band and spent five years on the road earning a reputation as a relentless performer. In 1996, he released his first solo album, Exception to the Rule.
After a string of studio and live albums in the ’90s and into the new millennium, Castro returned to his first label, Blind Pig, for 2005’s Soul Shaker and 2007’s Painkiller. That stretch included a number of awards for his music, opening slots for B.B. King and documenting the last recording session of Blues legend John Lee Hooker (on Castro’s 2001 album Guilty of Love).
In 2009, Castro signed with renowned Blues label Alligator and released Hard Believer, followed by 2011’s incendiary Tommy Castro Presents the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue — Live!, which garnered even more acclaim and attention. Four years ago, Castro formed The Painkillers and expanded his audience even further with 2014’s blistering and raw The Devil You Know, which drew in fans from the Jam Band community.
Castro’s latest salvo, last year’s Method to My Madness, is more honest Blues scorch from an absolute master of the form, proving with some finality that nothing makes you feel quite as good as a great band howling about feeling bad.
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This article appears in Apr 6-13, 2016.