TINSLEY ELLIS
SPEAK OF THE
DEVIL by Adam Kennedy
Images: Elaine Thomas Campbell (left) & Regan Kelly
US bluesman Tinsley Ellis starts the New Year with the release of his latest album, ‘Devil May Care’ via Alligator Records. This is the singer, songwriter, and guitarist’s landmark 20th studio album under his own name.
Tinsley’s interest in guitar playing dates to the age of seven and the day he encountered The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. This was an event that inspired many would-be musicians. “I can remember sitting in the living room - my mom, dad, my younger sister and me. We sat there, and The Beatles came on. My dad said I think we should watch this. Everybody is talking about it on The Ed Sullivan Show,” recalls Ellis. “They started twanging and singing, and people were screaming. I said, that’s it, that’s what I want to do with my life. So, I’m blaming this whole thing on The Beatles. Everything that’s gone on in my life, I blame it on them.” Ellis describes how The Beatles had gone full circle. “All of us watching on television, hearing a band from far away playing music that came from here. Rhythm and blues – ‘Twist and Shout’ and
The Isley Brothers. We had to hear it happen over there before we could appreciate it here.” Tinsley Ellis has spent a large part of his life touring, but these strange times have meant somewhat of a change of pace for the Atlanta-based artist. “Prior to the pandemic in March of 2020, I was on the road for over 40 years non-stop,” explains Ellis. With a halt to touring, Tinsley refocused his plans: “I moped around for a week or two, and then I said, if I’m not careful, I’m going to lose my chops and my playing ability.” Subsequently, the guitarist set himself a rigorous schedule. “I designated every morning from 7 am, or 8 am until noon, downstairs here in my studio as songwriting time. In just over a year, I wrote about 200 songs. I was able to choose from those to become the new album,” explains Ellis. Somewhat of a highly
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