Gary Clark Jr., the hottest bluesman alive

“When people show you respect and admiration for what you do it's inspiring and gives me more strength to keep doing what I’m doing,” he said. He returns to San Antonio with the same band he’s been playing with for the last two years: Eric Zapata on guitar, Johnny Bradley on bass, and Johnny Radelat on drums.

Along with his hits, Clark will be presenting songs from Blak and Blu, his first major full-length album (two previous rare LPs are a collection of songs he started writing while in high school). The first two singles (the rocking, soulful “Ain't Messin 'Round,” the dark, heavy blues “Numb”) and three tracks from the Bright Lights EP (an unchanged “Bright Lights” and full-band versions of “Things Are Changin’” and “When My Train Pulls In”) are part of the new recording.

“It’s all over the map,” Clark said about the new album, which includes “everything from low-down blues to heavy guitars and vocals” and has him even playing horns on a few tracks. It’s one of the most awaited albums of the year. Any pressure?

“I hope and I think people are going to react in a positive way, but I’m not dwelling on that,” he said. “I just love playing music. I’m very passionate about it, and I’m just having a good time. All I got is what I got, and I do what I can with it.”

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