“I believe Blues music fans are a very open and accepting group of people that interpret lots of styles of Blues. I mostly write about relationships and love, however reading the news each day, I was compelled to write a song from the point of view of a person living there.”
Brad Wilson: The Boundless Styles of Blues
Acclaimed guitarist Brad “Guitar” Wilson released his new album,Boundlesson Cali Bee Music.Boundlessis the follow-up to Brad’s 2025 release,The Californian, a top charting album on theRoots Music Report,spending 12 weeks at #1 on their Blues Rock Album chart and multiple appearances on their blues rock songs list.Boundlesswas produced once again by Grammy-winner Francis Buckley and recorded atlegendary High Fidelity ICP Studios in Brussels, Belgium, as well as at the Musicians Institute Studios in Hollywood, California. Boundlessis filled with songs that allow Wilson to work beyond his stellar blues guitar playing and represents his ability to expand his songwriting and performances to greater heights. No limits…Boundless.
(Brad ‘Guitar’ Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)
Influenced by guitar players Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, B.B. King, Chuck Berry and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brad “Guitar” Wilson has developed a style that effortlessly combines shredding solos with soulful riffs that connect with audiences and guide them on a musical journey of the highs and lows that come with singing the blues. Brad’s live shows are known for getting the audience up dancing and singing along. He’s toured with the legendary band Chicago as their support act, as well as Tommy Castro. Coco Montoya, Walter Trout, The Marshall Tucker Band and Cheap Trick. He has toured Europe many times over the last 6 years. His songs have been featured on TV shows aired on CBS and NBC.
Your new album is titled Boundless. Which specific musical or personal boundaries do you feel you pushed past during the making of this record compared to your previous smash hit, The Californian?
On the Boundless album, I wanted to expand my audience into my style of Blues. The sixteen songs cross over to Americana, Pop, Rock and guitar blues. We recorded songs from BB King, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald and Tears For Fears, and twelve of my originals. When we started thinking about the album title it took us almost to the last day of mixing the album until we looked at a list of titles and it was clear this album's songs were Boundless!
Once again, you collaborated with the legendary Grammy Award-winning producer Francis Buckley. What is your chemistry like in the studio, and how does he manage to bring out the best in you as both a songwriter and a performer?
This is the fourth album Francis has produced for Cali Bee Music and that we have worked together on. There is a wonderful chemistry and our work flows easily because there is a lot of communication, we like so many of the same great records of the past and his skills really highlight and present my guitar, vocals and songs with an incredible sound.
The album was recorded across various locations, including Hollywood, Central California, and the world-famous ICP Studios in Brussels. How did switching environments and absorbing the European vibe affect the energy and final sound of the tracks?
I enjoy traveling and am comfortable in different environments. The musicians in Hollywood, California, are excellent, the studio is central to where they live and we have made four albums together. The keyboard player, Chris Rhyne, is super talented and leads the sessions with brilliant performances and musical direction. The studio is at the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Highland, so it is a landmark, and it's amazing to just arrive and walk in there.
In Brussels, Belgium, the studio is ICP Sturios, a very famous studio with a long history of major albums recorded there by the biggest stars. The equipment is fabulous and they have a collection of guitars and amps I can use during the sessions. The Belgian musicians are some of the best in the city and every time we record together, it is an incredible opportunity! The sound of the recordings and the feeling is for me a chance to experience what is great about all my favorite records by the biggest bands from the UK and Europe. I love Europe and have toured there 14 times over the last seven years.
“On the Boundless album, I wanted to expand my audience into my style of Blues. The sixteen songs cross over to Americana, Pop, Rock and guitar blues. We recorded songs from BB King, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald and Tears For Fears, and twelve of my originals.” (Brad ‘Guitar’ Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)
The record features the track "Living Underground," which you wrote reflecting on the war in Ukraine. How important is it for you to use the Blues as a canvas to process and comment on heavy global and social realities?
I believe Blues music fans are a very open and accepting group of people that interpret lots of styles of Blues. I mostly write about relationships and love, however reading the news each day, I was compelled to write a song from the point of view of a person living there. Honestly, the subject is incredibly important and cannot be easily transmitted in a song. The song was written as I was losing my long-time cat, so I was feeling sadness as I worked on the song.
You are known for your brilliant bluesified interpretations of pop/rock classics, like Tears For Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". What is the biggest challenge when taking an 80s synth-pop anthem and injecting it with a soulful blues groove?
I love this song and the lyrics are brilliant and timeless. Gary Moore, one of the best guitarists ever, liked to move between Blues and pop/rock hits, so it was still in my style to play rip lead guitar over these cool chord changes. The band in Brussels are so talented that they just walked in and recorded it so well, it was as if I was sitting in with Tears For fears. The vocals were a challenge,and I practiced this song a long time before recording the vocal track. The vocals were done with engineer PariceeMondragon in Bakersfield, CA. I do a lot of lead guitar work at his studio and in one afternoon along with other work, we got a cool vocal track.
For your rendition of B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone," you actually got to play an original B.B. King "Lucille" guitar. What was that experience like on an emotional level, and what did it mean to you as a guitarist?
ICP Studios in Brussels has a very large vintage equipment collection of all instruments. They had purchased the "Lucille" and it was labeled on it "from the BB King Estate." I think BB King was one of the all-time greatest guitar players and his tone and fingers on the fret board can never be duplicated. Working in the studio, you are going through everything, one after another, and focusing on your performance. The thing I remember best is how easy it was to get a great sound quickly and how the guitar allowed you to think about playing the music and not about messing with knobs looking for the right tone. That guitar makes that song. The guitar tone is awesome, so I did not imagine BB King gigging with it. I was really just marveling over the sound.
“My musicians are European and many times I am the only American in the room. I have a deep respect for the culture in the UK and Europe because of their incredible history forart and music. It is through learning about all the great master artists and musicians in history that I find inspiration and understanding of art and music.” (Brad ‘Guitar’ Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)
Wave Street Studios in Monterey marks the official kickoff of your international tour. Since Monterey and California are heavily woven into your musical identity, how special does it feel to launch this global journey from "home"?
It is perfect. The theatre is beautiful and all my friends will be there for a fun night! Lots of support from the audience so we will play with a huge amount of emotion. Monterey and the Central California coast is an inspiring environment and surprisingly a little like Europe, so it was an easy transition to fall in love with Europe, and I look forward to performing my new Boundless songs on tour.
Your upcoming tour schedule features dates in Belgium, the Netherlands, and London. What do you think makes European audiences connect so deeply with your energetic style of contemporary California Blues-Rock?
My musicians are European and many times I am the only American in the room. I have a deep respect for the culture in the UK and Europe because of their incredible history forart and music. It is through learning about all the great master artists and musicians in history that I find inspiration and understanding of art and music. The beautiful collection in all the museums is a guiding lighted pathway to follow and pursue your dreams. I understand and am honored to perform for the audiences that protect and carry on this wonderful legacy. The shows are so much fun as we sing songs together, meet in the lobby and just have a blast sharing music. Wow! This for me is a dream come true.
Q&A with monster axe slinger Brad “Guitar” Wilson, crossing over to Americana, Pop, Rock and the Blues
by Music Network by Michael Limnios
Aug 25
“I believe Blues music fans are a very open and accepting group of people that interpret lots of styles of Blues. I mostly write about relationships and love, however reading the news each day, I was compelled to write a song from the point of view of a person living there.”
Brad Wilson: The Boundless Styles of Blues
Acclaimed guitarist Brad “Guitar” Wilson released his new album, Boundless on Cali Bee Music. Boundless is the follow-up to Brad’s 2025 release, The Californian, a top charting album on the Roots Music Report, spending 12 weeks at #1 on their Blues Rock Album chart and multiple appearances on their blues rock songs list. Boundless was produced once again by Grammy-winner Francis Buckley and recorded atlegendary High Fidelity ICP Studios in Brussels, Belgium, as well as at the Musicians Institute Studios in Hollywood, California. Boundless is filled with songs that allow Wilson to work beyond his stellar blues guitar playing and represents his ability to expand his songwriting and performances to greater heights. No limits…Boundless.
(Brad ‘Guitar’ Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)
Influenced by guitar players Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, B.B. King, Chuck Berry and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brad “Guitar” Wilson has developed a style that effortlessly combines shredding solos with soulful riffs that connect with audiences and guide them on a musical journey of the highs and lows that come with singing the blues. Brad’s live shows are known for getting the audience up dancing and singing along. He’s toured with the legendary band Chicago as their support act, as well as Tommy Castro. Coco Montoya, Walter Trout, The Marshall Tucker Band and Cheap Trick. He has toured Europe many times over the last 6 years. His songs have been featured on TV shows aired on CBS and NBC.
Interview by Michael Limnios Archive: Brad ‘Guitar’ Wilson, 2025 Interview
Special Thanks: Mark Pucci Media
Your new album is titled Boundless. Which specific musical or personal boundaries do you feel you pushed past during the making of this record compared to your previous smash hit, The Californian?
On the Boundless album, I wanted to expand my audience into my style of Blues. The sixteen songs cross over to Americana, Pop, Rock and guitar blues. We recorded songs from BB King, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald and Tears For Fears, and twelve of my originals. When we started thinking about the album title it took us almost to the last day of mixing the album until we looked at a list of titles and it was clear this album's songs were Boundless!
Once again, you collaborated with the legendary Grammy Award-winning producer Francis Buckley. What is your chemistry like in the studio, and how does he manage to bring out the best in you as both a songwriter and a performer?
This is the fourth album Francis has produced for Cali Bee Music and that we have worked together on. There is a wonderful chemistry and our work flows easily because there is a lot of communication, we like so many of the same great records of the past and his skills really highlight and present my guitar, vocals and songs with an incredible sound.
The album was recorded across various locations, including Hollywood, Central California, and the world-famous ICP Studios in Brussels. How did switching environments and absorbing the European vibe affect the energy and final sound of the tracks?
I enjoy traveling and am comfortable in different environments. The musicians in Hollywood, California, are excellent, the studio is central to where they live and we have made four albums together. The keyboard player, Chris Rhyne, is super talented and leads the sessions with brilliant performances and musical direction. The studio is at the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Highland, so it is a landmark, and it's amazing to just arrive and walk in there.
In Brussels, Belgium, the studio is ICP Sturios, a very famous studio with a long history of major albums recorded there by the biggest stars. The equipment is fabulous and they have a collection of guitars and amps I can use during the sessions. The Belgian musicians are some of the best in the city and every time we record together, it is an incredible opportunity! The sound of the recordings and the feeling is for me a chance to experience what is great about all my favorite records by the biggest bands from the UK and Europe. I love Europe and have toured there 14 times over the last seven years.
“On the Boundless album, I wanted to expand my audience into my style of Blues. The sixteen songs cross over to Americana, Pop, Rock and guitar blues. We recorded songs from BB King, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald and Tears For Fears, and twelve of my originals.” (Brad ‘Guitar’ Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)
The record features the track "Living Underground," which you wrote reflecting on the war in Ukraine. How important is it for you to use the Blues as a canvas to process and comment on heavy global and social realities?
I believe Blues music fans are a very open and accepting group of people that interpret lots of styles of Blues. I mostly write about relationships and love, however reading the news each day, I was compelled to write a song from the point of view of a person living there. Honestly, the subject is incredibly important and cannot be easily transmitted in a song. The song was written as I was losing my long-time cat, so I was feeling sadness as I worked on the song.
You are known for your brilliant bluesified interpretations of pop/rock classics, like Tears For Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". What is the biggest challenge when taking an 80s synth-pop anthem and injecting it with a soulful blues groove?
I love this song and the lyrics are brilliant and timeless. Gary Moore, one of the best guitarists ever, liked to move between Blues and pop/rock hits, so it was still in my style to play rip lead guitar over these cool chord changes. The band in Brussels are so talented that they just walked in and recorded it so well, it was as if I was sitting in with Tears For fears. The vocals were a challenge,and I practiced this song a long time before recording the vocal track. The vocals were done with engineer PariceeMondragon in Bakersfield, CA. I do a lot of lead guitar work at his studio and in one afternoon along with other work, we got a cool vocal track.
For your rendition of B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone," you actually got to play an original B.B. King "Lucille" guitar. What was that experience like on an emotional level, and what did it mean to you as a guitarist?
ICP Studios in Brussels has a very large vintage equipment collection of all instruments. They had purchased the "Lucille" and it was labeled on it "from the BB King Estate." I think BB King was one of the all-time greatest guitar players and his tone and fingers on the fret board can never be duplicated. Working in the studio, you are going through everything, one after another, and focusing on your performance. The thing I remember best is how easy it was to get a great sound quickly and how the guitar allowed you to think about playing the music and not about messing with knobs looking for the right tone. That guitar makes that song. The guitar tone is awesome, so I did not imagine BB King gigging with it. I was really just marveling over the sound.
“My musicians are European and many times I am the only American in the room. I have a deep respect for the culture in the UK and Europe because of their incredible history forart and music. It is through learning about all the great master artists and musicians in history that I find inspiration and understanding of art and music.” (Brad ‘Guitar’ Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)
Wave Street Studios in Monterey marks the official kickoff of your international tour. Since Monterey and California are heavily woven into your musical identity, how special does it feel to launch this global journey from "home"?
It is perfect. The theatre is beautiful and all my friends will be there for a fun night! Lots of support from the audience so we will play with a huge amount of emotion. Monterey and the Central California coast is an inspiring environment and surprisingly a little like Europe, so it was an easy transition to fall in love with Europe, and I look forward to performing my new Boundless songs on tour.
Your upcoming tour schedule features dates in Belgium, the Netherlands, and London. What do you think makes European audiences connect so deeply with your energetic style of contemporary California Blues-Rock?
My musicians are European and many times I am the only American in the room. I have a deep respect for the culture in the UK and Europe because of their incredible history forart and music. It is through learning about all the great master artists and musicians in history that I find inspiration and understanding of art and music. The beautiful collection in all the museums is a guiding lighted pathway to follow and pursue your dreams. I understand and am honored to perform for the audiences that protect and carry on this wonderful legacy. The shows are so much fun as we sing songs together, meet in the lobby and just have a blast sharing music. Wow! This for me is a dream come true.
Brad ‘Guitar’ Wilson - Home
(Brad ‘Guitar’ Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)