Our desert has a rich blues scene, and one of the many talented guitar virtuosos in our valley is Tommy Castro. Through fiery licks, soulful vocals and mastery of the 12-bar blues formula, Castro has enchanted blues fans across the desert and beyond. His latest effort, Closer to the Bone, will be released on Feb. 7, with 14 tracks of blues magic, including covers of blues staples, and original tunes from Castro that elevate the genre. Tommy Castro and the Painkillers are set to perform at 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 16, at the Palm Springs Cultural Center in Palm Springs. Tickets are $59.02. For tickets or more information, click here.
What was the first concert you attended?
Maybe Janis Joplin at the Santa Clara Valley Fairgrounds! I was 14.
What was the first album you owned?
I think it was Super Session by Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper and Stephen Stills; and Santana.
What bands are you listening to right now?
I have Ray Charles on my turntable, but I like Tedeschi Trucks, Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, Rick Estrin and the Nightcats, Ronnie Baker Brooks, and Mr. Sipp. Too many to mention, really.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
Most of the EDM-related stuff.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
Springsteen.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
Piedmont fingerstyle players.
What’s your favorite music venue?
Every damn ship that the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise sails on!
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“When you’re smilin’, when you’re smilin’, the whole world smiles with you,” “When You’re Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)” by Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra.
What band or artist changed your life? How?
Deanna Bogart. We’ve played together many times over the years. She’s the most courageous musician I know. We became an item during the pandemic and bought a house together here in the desert. We’re engaged to be married in October 2025. She will be performing with me at the Palm Springs Cultural Center on Jan. 16. Pretty life-changing, I say!
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
Albert King: What caused you to play like that?
What song would you like played at your funeral?
“When the Saints Go Marching In.”
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home by Taj Mahal.
What song should everyone listen to right now?
“Woke Up and Smelled the Coffee” from Closer to the Bone, my upcoming release on Alligator Records, of course!
