Joe Bonamassa: Live from the Royal Albert Hall

June 9, 2011

More from pressroom

EIGHT, ARIZONA PBS

– Blues-Rock Star and Guitar Hero Joe Bonamassa's Headlining Debut at

London's Royal Albert Hall –

When blues-rock star Joe Bonamassa took the stage at Royal Albert Hall in May 2009, he fulfilled a dream he had held since first picking up a guitar as a kid in upstate New York.

Joe Bonamassa: Live from the Royal Albert Hall captures the intensity and excitement of the sold-out show that marked Bonamassa's headlining debut at arguably the most prestigious concert venue in the world. “May 4, 2009 was a day 20 years in the making,” says Bonamassa. “I have never been so honored in my life. It was truly larger than the sum of its parts.”

As Bonamassa grows his reputation as one of the world's greatest guitar players, he is also evolving into a charismatic blues-rock artist and singer-songwriter of stylistic depth and emotional resonance. Bonamassa has released ten solo albums – six debuting at #1 on the Blues Chart – and last year marked his twentieth year as a professional musician, a huge achievement for a performer just into his 30s. Recently, he was awarded the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award at the U.K.'s Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards. He was named “Best Overall Guitarist” in Guitar Player Magazine's 2010 Readers' Choice Awards and “Best Blues Guitarist” for the fourth consecutive year. He is also a spokesperson for the Blues Foundation's respected Blues In The Schools program, volunteering his time during tours to speak with groups of high school students about the first pure American music form.

Always playing to sold-out and ever-larger houses, Bonamassa regularly draws accolades for his live musicianship. PBS will bring this live energy to its stations with Joe Bonamassa: Live From the Royal Albert Hall airs Thursday, June 9, 2011 at 7 p.m. on Eight. Very special guest Eric Clapton joins Bonamassa onstage for one song.

The concert also features classics from Bonamassa's catalog including “So It's Like That,” “So Many Roads,” Rod Stewart's “Blues Deluxe,” “The Ballad of John Henry,” “Sloe Gin,” “The Great Flood,” ZZ Top's “Just Got Paid,” and many more.