"It is about having your health. Feeling good and your body working well enough to make music. Music is very physical, takes a lot to play and instrument and sing. Life can be a struggle and people use drugs, liquor and bad relationships to cope. That stuff just breaks you down and you can't go on. Your music and voice is not as good if you do not take care of yourself."

Brad "Guitar" Wilson: California Blues 

International guitarist, singer, songwriter Brad “Guitar” Wilson has a soulful contemporary sound, tapping into all his sources of inspiration. His performances have made him a stand-out hit at countless shows. Considered more than a talented guitarist by his audience, Brad is an exciting entertainer. As a charismatic guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, Brad has become known as a modern hot guitar player, who can entertain the house with the best of them. His show features his songwriting and great renditions of dance cover songs. Brad’s live show is presented with spirit and class. Wilson’s 2022 album, Brad “Guitar”’ Wilson, climbed to the #1 album in the USA on the Roots Music Report’s Blues Rock chart. The Brad “Guitar” Wilson album also charted in the most played radio albums in the UK and Australia. He has toured numerous times with the legendary group, Chicago. As a special guest, he has been on stage at sold-out arena shows throughout California, including four shows scheduled this year, entertaining several thousand people at each concert. Brad has opened for Buddy Guy, Cheap Trick, .38 Special, Marshall Tucker Band, Tommy Castro, and many others.

(Brad "Guitar" Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)

He has established an identity as a guitar-star entertainer, performing at huge concerts at the West Coast’s largest casinos and festivals. Any project from an artist with “Guitar” in the name brings the expectation of fiery fret work, blazing licks, and a bevy of swirling strings. In 2023 released “Lovers Before Sunrise” for his sixth album the west coast singer songwriter and guitarist brought in some of the most talented California musicians into MT studios in Hollywood to record eleven original tracks and three bold cover songs. His latest album, The Californian (2025) , is not only geographically appropriate, but keeps the music flowing with a vibrant session of rocking Wilson originals, embellished by a handful of smartly executed covers. Joining Wilson and Grammy-winning producer Francis Buckley in keeping the vibes fresh throughout are Toto Poznantek and Tony Braunagel on drums, Chris Rhyne, Luca Catalfamo and Frankie Virens on keyboards, Hal Cragin, Brian Beal and Fabrizio Erba on bass, Marie K on harmonica, and additional contributions from Galen Keith.

Interview by Michael Limnios                 Brad Wilson, 2016 Interview @ blues.gr

Special Thanks: Brad “Guitar” Wilson & Betsie Brown (Blind Roccoon)

How has the Blues and Rock Counterculture influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?

I have always been inspired by the guitar sound. The Blues guitar stars of BB King, Muddy Waters, Albert King, John Lee Hooker and Freddie King invented a way of playing that was so expressive. The Blues Rock guitar stars of Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Gary Moore electrified me to play guitar and I have spent my life on a journey of guitar music. It made my views more open and free. It taught me "You cannot dislike someone you do not know or ever met."

How do you think that you have grown as an artist since you first started making music?

I am a better songwriter. My lead guitar work is more melodic, and I am a better entertainer. Countless shows has done this for me.

What has remained the same about your music-making process?

The joy of playing music, having fun at the shows and sharing music with the audience and musicians.

“The lifestyle of California includes the Pacific Ocean, national parks, and multiple climate environments because of the size of the state.  Major cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles make it one of the largest states in the USA.” (Brad "Guitar" Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck

Currently you’ve one more release. How did your relationship with the music come about? Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album “The Californian”?

The first songs for this album were recorded in Brussels, Belgium at the world famous recording studio ICP Studios. I had performed the night before at the legendary club The Music Village with the musicians Toto Poznantek,  Lu Ca and Fabrizio Erba. The show was incredible so as we entered the studio the next day, we were very excited to record "Ready For Love" written by Mick Ralphs and "Dead Flowers" written by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger.

The audience had responded wonderfully to the performance of those songs especially the night before. When I returned to California I entered the studio in Hollywood, Musicians Institute with the world famous producer Francis Buckley Over three days we recorded the majority of the album with the blues music award winning drummer Tony Braunagel along with Hollywood Ace musicians including Chris Rhyne, who had toured with Santana and Gino Vannelli. The sessions were outstanding and we decided we would come back in a few weeks to complete the album with the same lineup.

Some of the songs recorded were of course blues Classics but also it was exciting to hear the new songs come to life as the musicians are artists themselves putting their own particular sound and style to my new original songs. The album was recorded in a large studio, so the musicians were recording as a band live and could see each other while they worked.

What touched (emotionally) you from the songs: “It Hurts Me Too”, “Dead Flowers”, “Summertime Blues”, and “Ready For Love”?

"It Hurts Me Too" written by Tampa Red has incredible lyrics, a story of love and with a message that when it hurts you, it hurts me too. I was knocked out with the lyrics and was lucky enough to work with musicians that could interpret this very old song in a brand new way.  It opens the album sequencing and was mixed beautifully by Francis Buckley.

“Dead Flowers"was recored because I am a huge fan of Jagger and Richards as a song writing team and love that era of music. 'Summertime Blues was an idea from Francis because the album was a summer release. I loved playing lead guitar on the song and updating the guitar work. "Ready For Love" was a song I had played over the years and this was the right time to record it in Brussels. I felt as an American in Brussels staying there, I could get an idea of how the band felt writing and touring Europe when Bad Company began together. With ten tours of Europe it has been wonderful to perform where my favorite albums and musicians wrote their songs.

“Blues music has been the most popular music in history as proved by the Rolling Stones. Elvis Presley presented blues in his music and made history. Frank Sinatra and Hank Williams learned and listened to blues singers. Sometimes the most obvious is not noticed...you can't see the forest from the trees.” (Brad "Guitar" Wilson, California based guitarist, singer, songwriter - soulful contemporary sound, tapping into all his sources of inspiration / Photo by Elfi Kluck)

Why do you think that Californian music scene continues to generate such a devoted following?

The lifestyle of California includes the Pacific Ocean, national parks, and multiple climate environments because of the size of the state. Major cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles make it one of the largest states in the USA. There's a huge tourist trade for gigs, lots of musicians, recording studios and a great place to live. We have Charlie Musselwhite, Tommy Castro, Chris Kane, Coco Montoya, Joe Bonamassa, just to name a few artists that are based out of California. I spend most of the year touring this huge state while also touring in the months of May and October in Europe.

Your work is known for creatively reimagining blues tradition. How do you balance respect for the roots with experimentation?

First and foremost, I’m a songwriter. I always have been a songwriter all my life, no matter what musical setting I’m in. I moved from San Francisco to Hollywood years ago, I have been lucky enough to work with John Carpenter, the movie Director, and producers the Rob Brothers and get songs placed in NBC television and CBS television shows.

I look at the songs that are Blues classics from a songwriter’s point of view. Often the blues songs carry a powerful lyrical message emotionally. They also have lots of room to play lead guitar because of the chord structure. In order to re-interpret one of the blues classics, the first and most important thing is to have blues musicians on each instrument that can replicate the feeling of the song. The next most important thing is the tempo of a Blues song has to be correct and also it has to fit my voice so that I can feel the words and sing it with passion.

“I will always be influenced by the great guitarists that came out of the UK, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and of course the Irish guitar player Gary Moore. The tone and style of their music and work will be inspiring forever in their recordings.” (Brad "Guitar" Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)

You’ve worked in many different settings, from clubs and studios to open air festivals. How do you navigate between these different worlds?

Traveling and moving the band from show to show is always a concern. I perform in Belgium, throughout France and throughout the Netherlands. I have concerns about the equipment and the sound, especially my guitar and amplifier. It is important that the musicians have food and lodging and the distance between the shows is not overwhelming. Traffic in the big cities is becoming almost impossible to navigate as everywhere I go from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and more are in near gridlock on the streets.

I’m not quite sure what the future holds, but I have to leave earlier and earlier to get to the shows. The planning takes a long time in advance. The advertising of the performance is more and more moving to social media and the only way to reach people is on their cell phone. Photographers are at all the shows as people get to know my work.  It is an honor, of course, to perform in the major cities of the world, but I also enjoy the smaller gigs as well. It is rewarding to have the audience respond. Language is not a barrier and every show is important.

How has your experience with the “golden era” of blues rock influenced the way you compose and perform today?

I will always be influenced by the great guitarists that came out of the UK, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and of course the Irish guitar player Gary Moore. The tone and style of their music and work will be inspiring forever in their recordings. The technique is incredible, the sound of their guitars in the amplifiers is Blues reflected with the rock of that era. You can’t help but to be curious and go and listen to where they got their influences from like B.B. King,  Muddy Waters, and Chuck Berry - it all tells the story of the electric guitar. I’m sure there will be another golden era, but for me these great guitar players, including Keith Richards, they defined all that the electric guitar does when it’s set in a blues rock songwriting style. I try to achieve work on this level, however, the era and that time in history could never be replicated.

"The more hours you play the deeper you can go in expressing yourself. I remember talking with Jeff Beck the guitar great and he said...Brad, if you are not playing guitar two hours every day, you are only hurting yourself. I miss Jeff Beck and will always love his balance between improvisation and defined musical sections of a song." (Brad "Guitar" Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)

How do you describe previous album “Lovers Before Sunrise” (2023) sound and songbook?

This 14-song collection titled Lovers Before Sunrise, is mostly original songs I have written. However, it includes some monster cover blues songs like Willie Dixon's I'm Ready, Leroy Brown (Elmore James) Blues Before Sunrise and the smash Hit song from Cream Sunshine Of Your Love. I recorded this album in the heart of Hollywood on Hollywood Blvd. with seasoned pro musicians and Grammy award winning producer Francis Buckley. My songs like "More Than I Do", "Blues Magic" and "I'm Still Breathin'", capture my style with a bit of Rock guitar in a deep blues song setting.

Do you have any interesting stories about the making of Lovers Before Sunrise?

We recorded the album in the most rain in California history, the musicians played so well together we moved through my songs in a few takes as we all performed together in a live direct to the recording session. The album shows this in the collective feeling of the album.

What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome as a person and as artist and has this helped you become a better blues musician?

The goal of becoming an international touring guitar player has been a challenge but with help from worldwide independent radio shows I have been able to tour Europe four times with plans for another visit later this year. Plus, USA tour dates and going to do some shows in Australia to support this album. Meeting Blues music fans and playing my songs for lots of audiences has made me a better musician and entertainer.

Why was the Blues never a part of the pop/popular music?

Blues music has been the most popular music in history as proved by the Rolling Stones. Elvis Presley presented blues in his music and made history. Frank Sinatra and Hank Williams learned and listened to blues singers. Sometimes the most obvious is not noticed...you can't see the forest from the trees.

"I have learned that music has lost a lot of importance in people's lives. So much of today is about short term and disposable. Not many people care about musicians or music. It is becoming an art form that is fading away. It is not possible for anyone from the record companies to radio shows to promoters to bands to earn enough money to live on." (Brad "Guitar" Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)

What's the balance in music between technique and soul?

I live to play guitar and love to be able to play what I can think of and feel. The more hours you play the deeper you can go in expressing yourself. I remember talking with Jeff Beck the guitar great and he said...Brad, if you are not playing guitar two hours every day, you are only hurting yourself. I miss Jeff Beck and will always love his balance between improvisation and defined musical sections of a song.

Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album Brad “Guitar” Wilson (2022)?

Only sadness. Losing people close to me from cancer, covid shutting down the music industry and the temporary halt of life as I had known. There was the hope I would survive and not get killed by covid and the brave engineers who opened their studios to record. The loss of performing live concerts was terrible. March 2020 until I finished in mid-2021. Organized for marketing and in 2022 I released a Spring album I'm Feeling Blue and a June album Brad "Guitar" Wilson.

Why do you think that SRV, Muddy, BB, Hooker and Cream's music continues to generate such a devoted following?

Well, I think the marketing of their music from record companies combined with FM radio and now Internet radio shows is at the heart of the matter. These are high quality artists that have exceptional skills at music and a very original sound, style and songs. However, marketing their music by major record companies that own their master recordings is a big part of the story.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

I have learned that music has lost a lot of importance in people's lives. So much of today is about short term and disposable. Not many people care about musicians or music. It is becoming an art form that is fading away. It is not possible for anyone from the record companies to radio shows to promoters to bands to earn enough money to live on. The only musicians that make money are the ones producing music for corporations that use it in TV, movies and commercials. The USA government does little to protect copywrites, or help content owners get money from streaming services. Everyone just file shares the music and thinks the music is free including web sites that openly sell the music and keep everything. No one cares.                            (Brad "Guitar" Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)

"Well, I think the marketing of their music from record companies combined with FM radio and now Internet radio shows is at the heart of the matter. These are high quality artists that have exceptional skills at music and a very original sound, style and songs. However, marketing their music by major record companies that own their master recordings is a big part of the story."

Do you think there is an audience for blues music in its current state? or at least a potential for young people to become future audiences and fans?

Yes. For many the guitar and playing lead with many blues riffs is the front door to new and young blues music fans. The guitar has been the trademark for lots of great blues musicians and it always has an appeal to everyone. In my case my songs are very commercial and wide appealing, so a more general audience enjoys the albums along with blues purest.

Are there any specific memories or highlights of your career that you would like to tell us about?!

It has been a joy to meet and play music with artists I think are amazing. I jammed with Jeff Beck in Las Vegas, talked with the members of Chicago, Heart and Buddy Guy and so many other people in the industry that inspire me. Touring Europe and the USA and seeing locations that make life a dream come true.

What do you think is key to a music life well lived?

It is about having your health. Feeling good and your body working well enough to make music. Music is very physical, takes a lot to play and instrument and sing. Life can be a struggle and people use drugs, liquor and bad relationships to cope. That stuff just breaks you down and you can't go on. Your music and voice is not as good if you do not take care of yourself.

If you had a question you would like to ask another musician what would it be?

If you can do something else, you like as much then get out of music. If this is all you know then give it all you got.

Brad "Guitar" Wilson - Home

(Brad "Guitar" Wilson / Photo by Elfi Kluck)