“We sometimes look at it as this thing to preserve, but the guys who were making it weren’t preserving it”: Gary Clark Jr. says the blues needs to continue evolving

In an interview in the new issue of Total Guitar, the Texas-based musician refutes the idea that the best way to pay tribute to the blues legends of the past is to recycle what they played. Instead, he says, we should continue to innovate, just as they did.

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“All the guys that came before me were pioneers in terms of moving it forward,” he explains. “Robert Johnson. Muddy Waters. Son House. All these guys put their own flavour into this music and evolved it.

“We sometimes look at it as this thing to preserve, but the guys who were making it weren’t preserving it. They were trying to push the boundaries,” he continues. “If you’re trying to do Muddy Waters, that’s some big shoes to fill, and I don’t really want to spend my time trying to be that guy.”

He then reflects on the lessons that he was taught while in development as a blues musician, instead being told that he had to “play the blues” and “preserve” the blues.

“I’d think, ‘Yeah, but look at Buddy Guy with a record like Sweet Tea – what the hell is that?’ Why would people want me to sound like Buddy Guy’s old records when even Buddy Guy doesn’t sound like that anymore? What the hell kinda sense does that make?”

Instead, he’s made it clear he’s not going to lean into the past because people want him to.

“I’m not going to just do the one-four-five thing just because people want some sense of nostalgia. That’s not my role. Blues keeps on going. It’s inspired by everything around it.

“Why would I not put my own filter on that? I like playing and experimenting. I just love making noise – my own noise. Why not?”