Tommy Castro and the Painkillers

Award-winning guitarist, vocalist, and bandleader Tommy Castro is a blues and rock powerhouse. For more than four decades, Castro has captivated audiences with his soul-drenched vocals, searing guitar work, and high-energy live shows. With his telepathically tight and wildly raucous band the Painkillers, he has released 17 albums that span a wide stylistic range—including horn-driven R&B, hot-blooded soul, and gritty, stripped-down rock and electric blues.

Castro is one of the most decorated artists in contemporary blues. He has won 10 Blues Music Awards, including multiple B. B. King Entertainer of the Year honors—the genre’s highest accolade. His latest release, Closer to the Bone, is the most unvarnished, straight-ahead blues release of Castro’s career, and it bristles with dynamic energy and raw emotion.