Words and All Photos: Scott Lukes
Ally Venable and her band put on a great blues/rock show in Knoxville Tennessee at a wonderful intimate venue called the “Open Chord Stage”. It was a real treat for her fans to be up close and personal at the sold-out event. Ally played long versions of several songs from her previous albums along with five songs off of the new album ‘Real Gone’, released in March 2023 on “Ruf Records”.
Ally ripped it up on lead guitar with EJ Bedford killing it on his 6-string bass, and Isaac Pulido crushing it all night long on drums. The trio has a sound that is so full one would think many more members were jamming away with them on stage.
Ally is from Kilgore, Texas and started playing at age 12. Now at age 23, her resume is rich with performances alongside Buddy Guy, Joe Bonamassa, Mike Zito, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd to mention a few. Collaborating with these monumental artists has added a unique sound and style to each of her 5 full-length albums. Not only can Ally play the guitar like a master musician, and write amazing songs that cover so many struggles and victories we all experience, her vocals are simply mesmerizing in depth and acuity that resonates within one’s soul. This Texas blues-rock singer/songwriter and guitar genius have created a bluesy soulful rockin’ power-packed mark in the world of music that will only grow to become legendary.
The Ally Venable Band has recently returned from touring Europe. Their US Tour will crisscross North America through October.
May 19 (Fri.) – Greer SC@The Spinning Jenny
May 20 (Sat) – Atlanta GA@Smith’s Olde Bar
May 24 (Wed.) – Knoxville TN@Open Chord Stage
May 25 (Thur) – Chattanooga TN@Songbirds
May 27 (Sat) – Thurmond NC@Jones von Drehele Winery
May 31 (Wed) – Kansas City MO@Knuckleheads
June 11 (Sun) – Charleston SC@Charleston Pour House
June 13 (Tue) – Nashville TN@3rd & Lindsley
June 20 (Tue) – Evanston IL@Evanston SPACE
June 21 (Wed) – St. Louis MO@Old Rock House
June 22 (Thur) – Cincinnati OH@Ludlow’s
June 28 (Wed) – Annapolis MD@Rams Head On Stage
Presser
Texas blues/rock guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Ally Venable has made her fiery presence known around the world since the release of her debut album at age sixteen.. Now, with her fifth solo effort Real Gone!, released on Ruf Records this past March, Venable has come of age.
At age 23, Venable is already an important artist in the roots music world. Her name has grown in stature with each new album and high-energy gig. She’s an absolutely ripping guitar player with style and tone for days, a commanding singer, and a songwriter with the power to make blues music that speaks to contemporary fans. Real Gone!, produced by Grammy winner Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi), features guest appearances by Joe Bonamassa and living legend, Buddy Guy.
Venable is that rare musician who can take her old-school influences like Guy and Stevie Ray Vaughan and create music that brings their spirits to today’s listeners where they live. Together with Isaac Pulido (drums) and EJ Bedford (bass), Ally gives audiences an entertaining show packed with musical muscle and relatable songs about living, growing, and evolving. When asked where her songs emerge from, Venable replied, “I try to write about what goes on in my life, or try to write about something I know others can relate to. We all go through things and it’s okay to have feelings about something going on in your life.”
The first single from Real Gone! is “Texas Louisiana,” a crackling duet with the one-and-only Buddy Guy. Ally and Buddy are an absolute dream team together, intertwining their guitars and voices into one without either losing any identity or impact. The title track “Real Gone” is a straight-up, body-moving rocker that will also be released as a single. Venable shouts down the microphone like a star while her guitar snarls and sings.
On the soulful ballad “Next Time I See You,” Ally downshifts her vocals and shows every dynamic degree of her impressive range. Her guitar work here is equally lyrical and emotive, displaying a gift for phrasing that few players ever attain. The grinding slow jam “Blues Is My Best Friend” lays out the ups and downs of the guitar lifestyle in no uncertain terms and features some of Venable’s most intense playing and singing on the entire set. Ally’s deep, cliche-free authenticity is the common thread running through every song on Real Gone!. She speaks her mind without hesitation or apology, turning each track into an honest statement of purpose.
In 2022, Guitar World Magazine named Venable one of the Top 15 ‘Young Guns’ Making the Gibson Les Paul Cool Again,’ and she also received the Road Warrior Award from the Independent Blues Music Awards. She performed as a featured artist on the Experience Hendrix Show in Austin, TX and appeared alongside Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Zack Wilde, Eric Johnson, Dweezil Zappa, and other luminaries.
2019’s Texas Honey and 2021’s Heart of Fire found Venable topping the Billboard charts. Early releases No Glass Shoes (2016) and Puppet Show (2018) created her fan-base, charted on radio, and won several East Texas Music Awards. Venable’s acclaimed performances on Ruf Records’ European Blues Caravan tour brought her international recognition. She has toured the U.S. with Buddy Guy and Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Canada with Colin James.
This year, Ally will be opening for Buddy Guy on his farewell tour, rocking Europe again on the Blues Caravan Tour, and doing her own headline shows domestically and abroad. She’s had a rapid rise to fame but gives off the vibe of someone who loves her life and is OK with it all.
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