Tommy Castro and the Painkillers
“A great artist…impassioned vocals and pure inventiveness in his stellar guitar solos…He makes playing rough feel easy.” – Blues Music Magazine

– Live and Onstage @ World Records Friday January 9, 2026

Multiple award-winning, California-based blues and rock legend Tommy Castro has released 17 previous albums over the course of his career. His new album, “Closer To The Bone” is available here at World Records.

With his new album, Closer To The Bone, Castro has returned to his roots, delivering what he calls “a real blues record, the way they would have made them back in the day.” Closer To The Bone is the most unvarnished, straight-ahead blues release of Castro’s career, one that bristles with every ounce of his dynamic energy and raw emotion.”

Tommy Castro & the Painkillers LIVE from Greaseland Studios
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On Closer To The Bone (Castro’s 8th Alligator release), Castro and his Painkillers – bassist Randy McDonald, keyboardist Mike Emerson and drummer Bowen Brown – mix new Castro originals (Ain’t Worth The Heartache, Can’t Catch A Break, Crazy Woman Blues) with songs originally performed by many of Castro’s friends and heroes.
Artists and their songs include Johnny Nitro (One More Night, on which Castro plays his treasured 1966 black Fender Stratocaster, a guitar once owned by Nitro himself, Magic Slim (Hole In The Wall), Ron Thompson (Freight Train), Mike Duke (Keep Your Dog Inside) and Chris Cain (Woke Up And Smelled The Coffee. Castro additionally chose obscure songs by Wynonie Harris (Bloodshot Eyes), Eddie Taylor (Stroll Out West), Jimmy Nolen (The Way You Do) and Johnny “Guitar” Watson (She Moves Me).
According to Castro, “These are not the obvious artists people generally cover, and that was most definitely on purpose.”

Closer To The Bone was produced by master guitarist and studio wizard Christoffer “Kid” Andersen (producer of over 100 albums), at his now-famous Greaseland Studio in San Jose, California.
Closer To The Bone finds Castro at the top of his game, bringing his seemingly limitless energy and boundless talent to the studio.
Guests on the album include labelmates Andersen, Rick Estrin, Chris Cain and Billy Branch, along with saxophone player/vocalist Deanna Bogart, keyboard wizard Jim Pugh and, on three songs, the voices of The Sons Of The Soul Revivers.

After a series of successful releases on the Blind Pig, Telarc and 33rd Street labels, Tommy Castro joined Alligator Records in 2009. His label debut, Hard Believer, launched to massive popular and critical acclaim.
2011 saw the release of the raucous Tommy Castro Presents The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue-Live.
In 2014, Castro & The Painkillers released The Devil You Know, followed by Method To My Madness in 2015, Stompin’ Ground in 2017, and the irresistible Killin’ It-Live in 2019.
With 2021’s A Bluesman Came To Town, Castro told the story of a young musician’s journey through the blues world. AllMusic said the album was “a towering achievement.”

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers’ deceptively simple approach on Closer To The Bone delivers one thrilling performance after another.

Says Castro, “Here, I’m not the contemporary guy, not the rock guy, not the soul guy.
This is the deeper blues side of me. I know, with these songs, I am at my most authentic.”

Castro’s relentless road-dog approach-gig after gig, 150 nights a year-continues to earn him loyal, lifelong fans everywhere he plays. The Washington Post says Castro is “phenomenal and funky” with “soulful vocals and inspired blues guitar.”

Famed guitarist Joe Bonamassa says, “Tommy has always been top of the heap among blues guitar players. He always puts on a great show.”

So happy to have
Tommy Castro and the Painkillers
at World Records again!
This is a joy to enjoy their blues music.

Tommy Castro
and the Painkillers
– Live and Onstage
@ World Records – Friday January 9, 2026!

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