There’s a lot of well-deserved accolades to Tinsley Ellis‘ name, the American artist’s guitar tone having become easily recognizable if not since his stint with THE HEARTFIXERS, the ensemble the then-youngster gathered back in the early ’80s, then since the bluesman’s solo debut “Georgia Blue” that was issued in 1988. Still at it three and a half decades on, the veteran, whose latest platter “Devil May Care” appeared in 2022, recently realized he’s never released an unplugged album – a totally honest record, one with no studio effects applied, one where he has nothing to hide behind – and set to remedy the situation. The results of Ellis’ wish to strip his sound to essentials will see the light of day on Tinsley’s “Naked Truth” which is scheduled for February 24th.
“I’ve wanted to make an all-acoustic record, and fans have asked me to do one for years. I’ve always done a few acoustic songs in the middle of my shows, and this is the full extension of that,” he says, and what’s offered on the forthcoming disc, to be out on Alligator just like the player’s first opuses, includes both Ellis’ originals and covers of such classics as Leo Kottke’s “The Sailor’s Grave On The Prairie” and “Death Letter Blues” from Son House’s repertoire, the later covered, pardon the pun, to death, yet given a unique reading here. Judging by the platter’s opening cut (see below), it’s going to be great.
Naked Truth
1. Devil In The Room
2. Windowpane
3. Death Letter Blues
4. Silver Mountain
5. Don’t Go No Further
6. The Sailor’s Grave On The Prairie
7. Tallahassee Blues
8. Hoochie Mama
9. Alcovy Breakdown
10. Horseshoes And Hand Grenades
11. Grown Ass Man
12. Easter Song
