‘Labor Of Love’ is Tinsley Ellis’ second acoustic album following 2024’s Blues Music Award-nominated ‘Naked Truth’ and his first acoustic release comprised entirely of original material. The album will be available on CD, Georgia peach-colored vinyl LP, and via digital service providers, with pre-orders available now via Alligator Records. Ellis delivers a raw, edgy, self-produced set of 13 original compositions, all performed with pure emotional honesty. The songs spin modern tales of floods, conflagrations, voodoo spirits, personal travails, and heaven-sent prayers. From the feral opener “Hoodoo Woman” to the John Lee Hooker-groove of “Long Time” to the evocative, Skip James-inspired “To A Hammer” to the Son House-style stomp of “Sunnyland,” Ellis inhabits his songs in an astonishing way. Each performance carries the weight, experience, and hard-earned wisdom Ellis learned over four decades on the road, making ‘Labor Of Love’ as profoundly deep and moving as any music he has made in his career, covering the gamut of emotions, finding good times in the hard times, mixing gentle beauty with foot-pounding ferocity.
Since the 2024 release of ‘Naked Truth,’ Ellis has been traveling on his own, performing solo all over the country in his jokingly named “Two Guitars And A Car” tour. Ellis says, “I love doing these shows. I can be more expressive and emotional as a solo acoustic artist. I just love the sound of acoustic guitar. I always have.” During a break from the recording of the new album, Ellis spent time in Bentonia, Mississippi, birthplace of Skip James and home to blues legend Jimmy “Duck” Holmes. Ellis soaked up the spirit of this tiny Delta town, hanging out with Holmes and getting a deep insight into genuine Bentonia blues, performing with Holmes at his famous Blue Front Café. Ellis notes, “Once I got home, I went right back to the studio and incorporated everything that I just experienced into my music.” For the album, Ellis used six different open tunings on his beloved 1969 Martin D-35, his 12-string Martin D-12-20, and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars, and for the first time in his career, played mandolin on three of the album’s songs. He notes, “No matter what I play, I like to have an edge. For me, just playing this music is a labor of love. I sat at the feet of Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf. I got into this music because of them. I always told myself if I could just make a living playing the blues, I’d be, at least in my own mind, successful.” Premier Guitar declares, “Ellis is a legend of American blues music…he’s an American music treasure. He delivers a sermon on the power and glory of the blues, and is one of modern blues’ greatest performers.”
Tour Dates:
January 29 – Capricorn Studios, Macon, GA
January 30 – Eddie’s Attic, Decatur, GA
January 31 – Rialto Club – Hotel Indigo, Athens, GA
February 10 – The Tin Pan, Richmond, VA
February 11 – Rams Head, Annapolis, MD
February 12 – The Loft at Manor Mill, Monkton, MD
February 13 – Hub City Vinyl, Hagerstown, MD
February 14 – Fanatic’s Pub, Lima, NY
February 15 – Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo, NY
February 16 – The State Theatre, State College, PA
February 18 – Woodlands Tavern, Columbus, OH
February 19 – 20 Front Street, Lake Orion, MI
February 20 – Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
February 21 – Franke Center, Marshall, MI
February 22 – The Jazz Kitchen, Indianapolis, IN
February 23 – SPACE, Evanston, IL
February 24 – Dakota, Minneapolis, MN
February 25 – The West Theatre, Duluth, MN
February 26 – McMillan Library Concert Series, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
March 1 – The Venue, Aurora, IL
March 3 – xBk Live, Des Moines, IA
March 4 – Vangarde Arts, Sioux City, IA
March 6 – Velvet Elk Lounge, Boulder, CO
March 7 – Ute Theater, Rifle, CO
March 8 – Swallow Hill, Denver, CO
March 10 – 191 Toole, Tucson, AZ
March 11 – MIM Music Theater, Phoenix, AZ
March 14 – Unit B, Santa Fe, NM
March 15 – Outpost, Albuquerque, NM
March 18 – The Coda Concert House, Joplin, MO
March 20 – Ron Robinson Theater, Little Rock, AR
March 21 – The Lyric Theater, Harrison, AR
March 25 – Orange Blossom Opry, Weirsdale, FL w/ Matt Schofield
April 17 – Spire Center for Performing Arts, Plymouth, MA