“Everything comes from the blues. The blues and gospel are the roots of all modern music, and every genre you just mentioned basically stems from them. There are blues riffs or a blues structure around all of it. I hear more and more of it today than ever before—from big rock bands to metal bands, and even some classic rock acts incorporating a Willie Dixon vibe into their own genre.”

Bernard Allison:

Legacy, Love, and the Soul of the Blues

With over three decades of relentless touring, countless shows worldwide, and more than 20 albums under his belt, Bernard Allison stands as one of the most dedicated and influential ambassadors of modern blues. As the son of the legendary Chicago blues icon Luther Allison, Bernard never allowed himself to stay in the shadow of his father's massive legacy. Instead, launching his career straight out of high school alongside the late, great Koko Taylor, he succeeded in carving out a deeply personal musical identity—masterfully fusing his traditional blues roots with explosive elements of funk, R&B, and rock. This fall, the acclaimed guitarist and singer returns with his highly anticipated new studio album. Titled Loving You, set to be released on October 16, 2026, via Ruf Records, this record is a heartfelt celebration of friendship, family, and the raw spirit of the blues community. Featuring a stellar line-up of special guests—including Devon Allman, Larry McCray, Victor Wainwright, and his own niece and nephew on backing vocals—the album proves once again why, for Bernard Allison, music is never just a matter of technical skill, but a pure expression of the soul.

(Bernard Allison / Photo by Tino Sieland)

In the following interview, Bernard Allison opens up about the invaluable lessons his father passed down to him, shares moving stories about Stevie Ray Vaughan and Johnny Winter, explains how the blues shaped all modern music genres, and takes us behind the scenes of his brand-new release, Loving You.

Interview by Michael Limnios                    Archive: Bernard Allison, 2024 Interview

Special Thanks: Bernard Allison, Doug Deutsch & Ruf Records

You have had so many experiences in your life and in music. What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience?

Well, just like my daddy always told me: he said to just go out there and try to give 110% for the people who come to see me. And, you know, stay humble and always stay involved with the fan base. I like to talk to the fans after the show and before the show. So those are the most important keys to my success, I believe, which is what my daddy taught me.

What does the blues mean to you?

Well, there are so many different ways to look at it. It's "a good man feeling bad," you know. But I don't think—well, most people think the blues is bad or sad. Instead, I try to write based on life experiences or everyday experiences to try and put a smile on people's faces with the music. I'm constantly smiling and entertaining. But yeah, for me, it's all about having fun and, most importantly, making sure we can keep the genre alive.

In 1990, you released your first album, Next Generation, and nowadays, you have the brand new Loving You. How have you grown as a musician and as an artist, and what has remained the same?

Well, I think I just got older and more mature. But from Next Generation to Loving You, it's pretty much the same approach for me, where everything I play is rooted in the blues. But my dad always said, "Don't just play the blues; play what you grew up with," which is also gospel, funk, rock, and things like that. So, each one of my albums has that same progression. Loving You is something I've always wanted to do, just to have friends and family participate in the album. I think we did a really good job on it, and I'm really excited for the release.

You've spent a lot of time in Europe. Do you find a difference between European and American audiences?

Yeah, there's definitely a big difference. I lived in Paris for 12 years without playing in the USA for a long time, and it was the same with my father. European audiences—just for me personally—they really appreciate the music. Whereas I find that here in the USA, they try to label you and say, "Okay, well, you're Chicago blues or Texas blues." On the other hand, my European fan base knows that I'm going to play different genres and different styles. And that's something I will always do because I'm much more than just a blues musician. I have a lot of other genre backgrounds in my performance.

“I think the deeper roots of that music are starting to come back to the forefront, because the enslaved people were the first to really play it. Even if you look at the origins of breakdancing, a lot of that rhythm comes from those roots—from the chanting while picking cotton and things like that. They were singing the blues all the time.” (Photos: Bernard Allison with Thomas Ruf and Luther Allison)

You have many albums by Ruf Records under your belt. How important was the label to your production as an artist?

Well, Ruf Records basically started with my father; that was his main European label. I have also been with Thomas for quite a while now. Thomas (Ruf) really gives me a lot of freedom in my production and in what I decide I want to perform on record. We really work together, and that's what Ruf Records is all about: trying to help the younger generation get known and see what touring and recording life is like, to see if they are actually ready to deal with that. So, we have a really good relationship, and I even help him bring some new artists to the label as well.

Loving You is an album that celebrates friendship and the pure spirit of the blues community. What have you learned about yourself from the blues people?

Well, I learned just to be true to myself and very true to my fans. I like to be who I am. I play everything from my heart. Most people go to a big rock concert and it's kind of like a cinema, whereas I like to engage with my fan base. I think that carries me a long way with them. When they come to see us, they never know what to expect. They just know that my band and I will be coming out to talk, take pictures, and things like that. It's very important to market yourself with your fan base. Yes, we have social media and all that, but it's nothing like talking to the artists themselves—the new generation of blues musicians.

What do you miss most nowadays from the feeling of the past?

Well, obviously, I started right out of high school. I was with Koko Taylor, so I was around a lot of the creators who are no longer with us. I really miss that era of the blues—going from small blues bars every night to a different city and just educating myself, because I was only 18 at the time. So, I learned the do's and don'ts, you know, like drinking on stage, smoking, and all this stuff. That's something I've never done in front of my public, and it's something that I will continue to avoid as long as I can perform.

In contrast, I find that the next generation coming up now has a different approach. They didn't experience the hard roads that I experienced, or, per se, that my father experienced. Sure, they're very talented, but you have very few of them who have really been "down and out," as they say in the blues. But I think the blues is in great shape too, because we have to let that next generation express themselves the way they want to.

What are the differences between Bernard Allison on stage and Bernard Allison in the studio?

I'm more of a live performer; I like to be in front of people and see their reactions. However, in the studio, we have a really good relationship among all our members, so we all kind of create together. We put our hearts into it to the point where we are perfectionists in the studio just as much as we are live. We try to create that same live feeling in the studio. I am very particular about my sound and the voicings of the music.

“My dad was amazing, and he was all about helping the younger generation, showing them how he came up and what his influences were. When I moved to Paris in '89, I was his bandleader for the first three years before I started my solo career.” (Bernard Allison / Photos by Aigars Lapsa)

How difficult is it to keep a surname like “Allison” alive?

At the beginning, it was very difficult because everyone would refer to me as "Luther's son." It took a few years before they started saying, "Oh, that's Bernard Allison." I think the older I get, the more they can really hear the difference between my guitar playing and my father's. Though, like my mom always said, the older I get, the more I look and sound like my father. There are times on stage where I'll catch myself and think, "Wow, I sound just like my dad." Even on Loving You, in a couple of songs, there are certain phrases I sing where I have to step back and go, "Wow, I really do sound like my dad."

At 60 years old, what keeps you passionate about the blues over the years? And regarding your lyrics and songs, where does your creative drive come from?

I just love to give back everything that the greats taught me—like Koko Taylor, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, and the list goes on. I really admire the fact that I can continue doing the same things they were doing, but in my own way. Even offstage, I'm constantly creating and sharing music with friends to always stay productive. I try not to block out any other genre of music; I give everything a try to see what my next challenge will be.

As for the lyrics, like I said before, it comes from daily life and the life experiences that we all go through or have been through. On this album, I co-wrote with my excellent second guitar player, whom we call Stevie J—a great guitar player and vocalist. We co-wrote seven of the titles on this album. We think a lot alike because he is originally from Mississippi, which is also where my mom is from. Plus, my godfather is Bobby Rush. So our ties, our versions of blues and funk, and our ideas on how to mix them really gelled well. I'm very happy with it. That's what keeps the lyrics engaging; you have to tell a good story without giving away too much.

Bernard, life is more than just music. Is there any other field that has had an influence on your life?

Well, I think the hardest thing was losing my father. But at the same time, he always told me, "I'm going to be fine. I want you to do this. Keep doing everything you've been doing and keep learning. Never think you've learned enough, because there's always something new to learn." And I'm up for that challenge. Like I said, I really love performing and figuring out the guitar and different instruments. I play a few different instruments, so who knows? Maybe in the future, I will play a different instrument on the next record. But I will always be inspired to just carry on the Allison legacy.

You talked earlier about Koko. Which memory of the late, great Koko Taylor makes you smile?

Just being on stage with her. I credit Koko for molding me into the player I am today because I didn't just jump right into being a soloist; I had to learn how to play behind someone first. We had so many funny moments both in the States and while touring Europe. I think one of the greatest feelings I ever got was just two days after I graduated from high school, when she called me and said, "I would love for you to be my lead guitar player." And I was like, "Really?" She told me, "You have to come to Chicago, rehearse for a couple of days, and then we're going on a three-month tour." So, literally right out of high school, I was in Koko Taylor's Blues Machine as her lead guitar player. That was the biggest blessing, and it really started my career right there.

“I try to write based on life experiences or everyday experiences to try and put a smile on people's faces with the music. I'm constantly smiling and entertaining. But yeah, for me, it's all about having fun and, most importantly, making sure we can keep the genre alive.” (Photo: Bernard Allison with Koko Taylor, Luther Allison, Lonnie Brooks, Jimmy Johnson, Eddie C. Campbell, and John Watkins)

Really, is it easier to write and play the blues as you get older?

I believe so, because now you start to bring maturity into it. For me, as I said, I want my lyrics to make sense. I don't want to just repeat the same "my baby left me" tropes; I want to tell a story—whether it's personal stories or just everyday life. Yeah, you can play a lot of guitar notes or whatever, but your lyrics have to connect with everybody, not just men or women. So, I choose themes that the older generation can relate to as well as the younger generation, appealing to both male and female audiences.

Why do you think Luther Allison's legacy continues to generate such a strong following?

My dad was amazing, and he was all about helping the younger generation, showing them how he came up and what his influences were. When I moved to Paris in '89, I was his bandleader for the first three years before I started my solo career. Just watching him perform and talk to his people—his fan base—was incredible. I've never really seen another artist who could put an audience in the palm of his hand that fast. You just never knew where he was going to go next. He loved artists like Otis Redding and Chuck Berry, which shattered the label of "oh, he's just a Chicago blues player." He could play all of that stuff, too. And that's exactly what he told me. He said, "Don't just play what they expect you to play; play what you know how to play."

How did the blues shape funk, rock and roll, soul, heavy metal, and rock music beyond?

Everything comes from the blues. The blues and gospel are the roots of all modern music, and every genre you just mentioned basically stems from them. There are blues riffs or a blues structure around all of it. I hear more and more of it today than ever before—from big rock bands to metal bands, and even some classic rock acts incorporating a Willie Dixon vibe into their own genre. So, I'm happy that people from other genres are starting to look back and say, "Wow, this is where this song actually came from."

I've found that, especially maybe 20 years ago, everybody wanted to be Stevie Ray Vaughan. And I was like, "Okay, but you're starting with Stevie Ray. Where did Stevie Ray get his roots?" That's where my perspective comes from. When I first heard Stevie, I immediately heard Albert King—whom I actually had the chance to tour with while I was with Koko. A lot of people try to climb up the ladder and forget about what's at the bottom, so they miss out on a lot of important elements of the music. A lot of the newcomers, like Kingfish for example, they know that traditional style, whereas some of the others don't. Sure, he's a phenomenal player, but he truly knows where the music comes from.

What are your hopes and what are your fears for the future of the blues?

I really don't have any fears for it. Like I said, I think it's in pretty good hands. You have a lot of young artists coming up, both male and female. But, as I mentioned before, you have to allow them to express their version of the blues just the same way that audiences allowed Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Bonamassa, myself, or Ronnie Baker Brooks to express themselves. They can't just continue playing the old Muddy Waters songs, like "Hoochie Coochie Man" or "Mustang Sally." You have to build and create on top of that existing foundation.

“I wanted to address the conversation we were just having about genres. I wanted to show people that, yes, I am a blues artist, and everything on Loving You starts with the blues. However, the music switches up from blues to funk, rock, and soul. I also wanted to show how you can bring together my friends—different artists who play a different style of blues or rock than myself—and demonstrate to people how well they can work together.“ (Bernard Allison & Stevie Ray Vaughan jamming on stage, 1986 / Photo by Kevin Sibley | Bernard Allison with his snakes’ hat)

Bernard, please tell me the story behind your trademark hat with the snakes…

Well, Stevie Ray Vaughan actually gave me a hat when I was touring. I played some shows with Stevie, and he gave me a hat as well as a guitar strap. I wore it for years. Later, we were touring in Germany by train with my father, and we all fell asleep while sitting next to each other. When I woke up, my hat was gone. I was like, "Oh, no!" They didn't take a guitar; they just took that hat.

I tried finding a similar one years later. Eventually, some fans bought me the snake hat. They said, "You like Johnny Winter, and he wears one snake. We're going to give you two snakes—one represents Johnny and one represents Stevie, because they're both from Texas." So, that's where the hat came from. However, when my father passed away, I actually buried that hat with him. I didn't want to wear it anymore because it just brought back too many memories. So I said, "I'm going to put it with my dad, and I know it will always be in a safe place."

Civil rights, human rights, politics, spirituality—what is the impact of Black American music, and especially the blues, on sociocultural shifts? How does Black American music change people and change the world?

I think the deeper roots of that music are starting to come back to the forefront, because the enslaved people were the first to really play it. Even if you look at the origins of breakdancing, a lot of that rhythm comes from those roots—from the chanting while picking cotton and things like that. They were singing the blues all the time.

When you talk about the history of the blues, I also recall when I moved to Paris; I was so amazed by how much the French knew about the blues. I met artists like Patrick Verbeke, who was a good friend of my father, and I was shocked that they knew more than most Americans did. But when it comes to the blues, as I said, it's entirely a Black heritage creation that branched off into all those other genres of music: gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, soul, and funk. At the end of the day, the root of it all is nothing but the blues.

What is the balance in music between technical skills and soulful emotion?

I'm not a technical player, mainly because I don't read music. If I read music, then I could say, "Yeah, I'm a really technical guitar player." Instead, I play everything from my heart. I close my eyes and let my heart tell my fingers what to do, and it's the exact same way vocally. I want to get low-down and gritty sometimes, or I want to get smooth—especially for the ladies—so they can have something to connect to, as opposed to just smashing the guitar over and over.

Sure, there are lots of guitar players featured on Loving You, but I think the music and the lyrics are what make it so soothing. It's going to make people listen multiple times and say, "Oh, I don't even know what my favorite song is." That's exactly what we want.

Regarding the Loving You album, what is the mission of this recording?

I wanted to address the conversation we were just having about genres. I wanted to show people that, yes, I am a blues artist, and everything on Loving You starts with the blues. However, the music switches up from blues to funk, rock, and soul. I also wanted to show how you can bring together my friends—different artists who play a different style of blues or rock than myself—and demonstrate to people how well they can work together.

I like to say it's like baking; every song is like baking a different cake, and every song has its own ingredients. I have good friends and family members, like my niece and nephew, Jasper and Lindsey, participating and singing backup vocals, for example. I think a lot of people will be shocked by Loving You because while it's on the same vibe that I've always recorded, the partnerships and the chemistry with each player featured on those songs are really going to stand out. People will be like, "Wow, him, Larry McCray, and Devon Allman together? That's great! It sounds amazing, how did they do that?" So, my hope is simply to show love. We all need love in the world right now, and Loving You brings together all my friends and family to present the public with something very special.

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(Bernard Allison / Photo by Tino Sieland)