Joe Bonamassa on Rory Gallagher: "He had his own indelible style and way of phrasing things"

Swathed in a sunburst haze of cigar smoke, Joe Bonamassa cuts quite the mythical figure when he sits down with Hot Press on the balcony of Dublin’s Leinster Hotel. It’s a fitting first impression of the American guitar legend.

Bonamassa kicked off his professional career at the astonishingly young age of 12, opening for BB King. He has since gone on to sell millions of records, and earn multiple Grammy nods. He’s among the most influential and revered bluesmen of the 21st century. But – and this is where it gets even more interesting – we’re not here to talk about that. Because the guitar god is on these shores to honour another one of the greats, the G-Man himself, Rory Gallagher.

The day before we met, Bonamassa was at the Oliver Plunkett in Cork, announcing that, as part of the Live at the Marquee series next year, he’ll be leading two special nights that will pay generous tribute to the Cork legend. To complete the treat for guitar watchers, his ‘Nerdville’ collection of over 650 guitars will be on full display at the event.

The Rory tribute was promoter Peter Aiken’s idea.

“My first question to Peter when he brought that enquiry to me was, ‘Is the family cool with me?,” Bonamassa reveals. “That’s the only way I could get involved. If there was any other cast of people doing this, I wouldn’t be here. I’m doing it for his brother Dónal, his nephew Daniel and the family.

“At this stage of my career, it’s not really a risk,” he adds. “I’ve been established for so long, nothing’s gonna kill it. Even if I’m terrible! But it puts a target on your back a little bit. He was an icon. And the fact that we’re doing it in Cork, on the 30th anniversary of his passing, it’s a big job.”

It is indeed.

“Think of all the stories,” he adds, “like Peter’s dad bringing Rory to Belfast, and playing gigs at 11 o’clock in the morning before curfew. I have such reverence for that music so I’m happy to attempt it. And I say attempt, because I’m not Rory Gallagher and I never will be. But if your intentions are right, then that’s what’s going to feel right and win the day.

Rory Gallagher 1977, Macroom.

Hailing from upstate New York, Joe Bonamassa’s love affair with Rory Gallagher’s music goes back to childhood. At eight-year-of-age his father played him 1972’s Live! In Europe. That was just the start. He describes being “floored” when he heard Rory’s next great live album, Irish Tour ’74. Their plan is to have at least some of the highlights from the album on his setlist next July 2024.

“I never met him, but talking to his family and the people that knew him, it’s like that record encapsulated everything about him,” Bonamassa reflects “That was the Rory Gallagher show you wanted to see. He was at his peak. You could tell the band was on fire. He was inspired, the crowd was inspired and the music was inspired. It’s just a great, great album. I’d put it in the top 10 live records of all time.”

Indeed, there are few artists with such a catalogue of jaw-dropping, speaker-melting live LPs.

“They’re not designed to be overly compressed,” Bonamassa notes. “That’s why his live records are so powerful. Everything coalesces with a spirit and intent that is almost impossible to capture in the studio.

“Here, he’s as revered as Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. In the States, he’s a little under the radar. And that’s just about airplay and show business bullshit. It’s the reason why I don’t have hit songs: I write records to augment the live show. I never ask myself, ‘Jesus, are we going to be able to get this on the radio?’”

Rory Gallagher 1979, NYC

What was it about Rory’s playing that made him so special?

“He had his own indelible style and a way of phrasing things,” Bonamassa reflects. “He’s got the skiffle thing from the late ‘50s and he was steeped in American blues – it’s that confluence of music that comes together. He’s also an underrated singer. Those demons come from a real spot. You don’t play that hard and intensely without having some personal struggles.

“He’s a wonderful acoustic guitar player too. I want to introduce that element into the show we do. We’ll open up with some acoustic stuff, or do something in the set that acknowledges his acoustic prowess.”

We tend to think of blues acts as solo performers, Bonamassa and Rory Gallagher included. The importance of the band though, Joe says, cannot be overstated. Joining him for the Cork gigs are English drummer Jeremy Stacey (Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, King Crimson, The Waterboys, Sheryl Crow); internationally-acclaimed Australian keyboardist Lachlan Doley; and one of Ireland’s most sought after bass players, Aongus Ralston (The Waterboys).

“The band is everything,” says Bonamassa. “I have a wonderful band that tours with me, but when this came about, I didn’t want to just plug in and play. We needed people from this part of the world – there’s a different feel, even the way the downbeats are hit. Jeremy Stacy’s always been one of my favourite drummers. I wanted an excuse to work with him. Same thing with Aongus – he knows the language. We can’t do this thing without at least one Irish guy in the band.”

• ‘Joe Bonamassa Plays Rory Gallagher’ takes place at Live At The Marquee, Cork on July 1 & 2, 2025.