February Blues Dispatch: B.B. King's 100th Birthday Tribute, Lil' Ed's Chicago Fire & Kingfish on the Road

B.B. King's Blues Summit 100 – A Once-in-a-Lifetime Tribute

I don't say this lightly: B.B. King's Blues Summit 100 might be the most important blues album released in years. Assembled by Joe Bonamassa and released on February 6 through his KTBA Records label, this double-disc collection celebrates what would have been the King of the Blues' 100th birthday – and it's a masterclass in reverence, taste, and sheer musical firepower.

The guest roster alone is staggering. Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks bring scorching slide guitar and Tedeschi's magnificent voice to their contributions. Bobby Rush – still unstoppable well into his 90s – delivers a track dripping with juke-joint swagger. George Benson lends his jazz-blues elegance, while Kenny Wayne Shepherd tears into his performance with the same raw intensity that's defined his career. Michael McDonald's soulful tenor adds an unexpected but perfect dimension, and rising star D.K. Harrell channels B.B.'s vocal phrasing with breathtaking authenticity.

What makes this album truly special is how Bonamassa steps back as a bandleader rather than stealing the spotlight. His guitar work is tasteful and supportive throughout, letting each guest artist shine while maintaining a cohesive sound that honors B.B.'s legacy. The production is warm, analog-sounding, and dynamic – everything modern blues production should be. If you buy one blues album this year, make it this one.

Check out our profile of Joe Bonamassa for more on his extraordinary career, and our tribute to B.B. King – the man who taught the world that one note, played with feeling, is worth more than a thousand played without it.

Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials – Slideways: Chicago Fire at Its Finest

Mark your calendars: February 27 brings Slideways, the 10th Alligator Records release from Blues Hall of Famers Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials. And from what I've heard of the advance tracks, this might be the crowning achievement of their nearly 40-year career together.

Led by Chicago slide guitar icon Lil' Ed Williams – nephew of the legendary J.B. Hutto – this band has been keeping the raw, unvarnished Chicago blues tradition alive since the mid-1980s. Where so much modern blues can feel polished to a fault, Lil' Ed and his crew play with the kind of sweaty, reckless joy that recalls the golden era of Kingston Mines and Theresa's Lounge.

The advance single 'Bad All By Myself' is exactly what you want from Lil' Ed: a heavy slide riff, a relentless shuffle groove, and Ed's raspy, shouting vocals cutting through the mix like a hot knife. DownBeat called his playing 'outrageous, forceful Chicago blues slide-guitar… piping hot energy,' and that's exactly right. This band doesn't play the blues – they attack it, with love.

A 2026 Slideways Tour has also been announced, so if they're coming anywhere near you, do not miss them. There's nothing quite like Lil' Ed live.

Tinsley Ellis Goes Acoustic: Labor Of Love

Here's something I didn't see coming: Tinsley Ellis, Atlanta's electric blues firebrand, has released an all-acoustic album. Labor Of Love dropped on January 30 through Alligator Records, and it's a revelation. All original material, stripped down to just voice, acoustic guitar, and raw emotion.

For over 40 years, Tinsley has been one of the most reliable electric blues guitarists on the circuit – a man whose Stratocaster tone could peel paint off walls. So hearing him trade that arsenal for an acoustic instrument is genuinely surprising, and the results are stunning. Tracks like 'Hoodoo Woman' show that his songwriting doesn't need electricity to hit you in the chest.

The album has been getting glowing reviews, and Tinsley even landed the cover of Vintage Guitar Magazine's February issue. When an artist who's been plugged in for four decades sits down with a wooden box and a set of strings and makes you feel something this deep – that's the blues working exactly as it should. Labor Of Love is a quiet triumph.

Kingfish Hits the Road: Hard Road Tour 2026

If you haven't seen Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram live yet, 2026 is your year. The Grammy-winning guitarist from Clarksdale, Mississippi – the actual birthplace of Delta blues – launches his Hard Road Tour on February 25, running through April 23 with dates across the United States and Europe.

At just 25, Kingfish has already achieved what many blues musicians chase for a lifetime: Grammy recognition, a signature sound, and the endorsement of legends. Buddy Guy has called him the future of the blues, and every live performance proves why. His setlists pull from his acclaimed albums 662 and The Hard Road, mixing searing originals like 'Midnight Heat' and 'Fresh Out' with deep blues covers that show his Mississippi roots.

For our Scandinavian readers: keep a close eye on his European dates. If Kingfish makes it to Norway or anywhere in the Nordics this cycle, clear your schedule. This is a once-in-a-generation talent. Check out our full profile of Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram to understand why this young man from Clarksdale is the real deal.

Notodden Blues Festival 2026: Save the Dates

Closer to home, the dates for Notodden Blues Festival 2026 have been confirmed: July 30 to August 2. The lineup hasn't been announced yet, but given last year's incredible edition – which featured Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, Vanessa Collier, and Kid Andersen among many others – expectations are sky-high.

Notodden remains Europe's premier blues destination and Scandinavia's largest blues festival. The UNESCO World Heritage town transforms into a blues capital for four days every summer, with stages scattered across venues from the massive Hovigs Hangar to intimate book stores and even a stave church. It's the festival that proves blues isn't just an American art form – it's a global one.

I'll be covering lineup announcements as they drop. If you've never been to Notodden, 2026 might be your year. Trust me – there's nothing quite like hearing deep Delta blues echo off Norwegian mountains at midnight in August. Pure magic.

What's Next? Your Turn to Weigh In

What a start to the blues year. Between Bonamassa's B.B. King tribute, Lil' Ed's Chicago slide assault, Tinsley's acoustic revelation, and Kingfish tearing up stages worldwide, the blues is firing on all cylinders in 2026.

I'd love to hear from you: Have you listened to Blues Summit 100 yet? Are you planning to catch Kingfish on his Hard Road Tour? And are any of you making the pilgrimage to Notodden this summer? Drop me a line at post@slowblues.no – your voices make this community what it is.

While you're here, why not test your blues knowledge with our Blues Quiz, or dive deeper into the artists mentioned in this article by exploring our artist profiles? And if this article moved you, share it with a fellow blues fan. The blues is a conversation, and the more voices we have, the richer it gets. Keep listening, keep feeling, keep the blues alive.