A hard-rocking, high-voltage blues guitarist most often compared to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tinsley Ellis is
hardly one of the legions of imitators that comparison might imply.
Schooled in a variety of Southern musical styles, Ellis draws not only
from fiery Vaughan-style blues-rock, but also Texas bluesmen like
Freddie King and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, the soulful blues of B.B.
King, the funky grit of Memphis soul, and numerous other electric
bluesmen. Ellis has been praised in many quarters for the relentless,
storming intensity of his sound, and criticized in others for his
relative lack of pacing and dynamic contrast (he's also been dubbed a
much stronger guitarist than vocalist). Yet no matter which side of the
fence one falls on, it's generally acknowledged that Ellis remains a
formidable instrumentalist and a genuine student of the blues.
