Wonderful stories everyone and Michael, now I finally know! You're second video really took me back to the very first time I heard Joe's singature tone and skill. Driving home and listening to Lady J, may God rest her soul, on WMSE radio, I heard that very song "Burning Hell" and thought to myself, "My gosh, who is that older man and how come I haven't heard his music before?" I missed the performers name, so I quickly raced home and pulled up the website to reveal the name of one Joe Bonmamssa. Went out the next day and bought a copy of "Blues Deluxe" and never looked back.
For one reason or another after that, I could never make a Joe show when he was in town at his old stomping grounds of Shank Hall. That is, until that fateful Sunday night, December 10th, 2006. With a sellout crowd waiting as patiently as we could, I thought to myself, "What will I hear and see when this fellow by the name of Joe takes the stage?" Two players came up on stage, one was Mr. Bogie Bowles who took his place behind the drums and Mark Epstein who picked up his bass guitar. Just then from out of sight, the most gut wrenching, heart pounding primal tone of a guitar sound seared the air of the darkened club and what can only be described as a jaw dropping beginning riff exploded. Then as "The Man" slowly made his way up a short staircase playing the beginning of "Just Got Paid", I finally caught my very first glimpse of Joe Bonamassa and snapped this picture with my old and simple camera:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8384830@N0 … 399006021/
I thought to myself, "My goodness, that's Joe Bonamassa!". Funny, it was the only picture that turned out that night and because it was my very first sight of Joe in person, I had it blown up to a 20 X 30 poster. A year later, Joe signed it for me and I had it framed. It now hangs over my desk at home and will always be there:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8384830@N0 … 658761480/
And that's how it all started.........
Roy
Joe is the Best!