Tommy Castro & The Pain Killers

Tommy Castro is a multiple award-winning guitarist, vocalist, and bandleader, hailed as one of today’s premier blues and rock performers. For over four decades, the California native has thrilled audiences with his soulful voice, fiery guitar work, and high-energy live shows as frontman of Tommy Castro & The Painkillers.

He has released 17 albums blending blues, rock, soul, and R&B, including acclaimed titles like The Devil You Know, Stompin’ Ground, Killin’ It – Live, and A Bluesman Came To Town. His latest Alligator Records release, Closer To The Bone, returns to raw, stripped-down blues, produced by Kid Andersen at Greaseland Studio.

Castro is among the most decorated contemporary blues artists, with 10 Blues Music Awards, including four B.B. King Entertainer of the Year honors—the genre’s highest accolade. Known for his relentless touring schedule of 150 shows a year, he’s built a devoted fanbase and praise from peers like Joe Bonamassa, who calls him “top of the heap among blues guitar players.”

With Closer To The Bone, Tommy Castro strips it all back to deliver an album brimming with grit, fire, and authenticity. “This is the deeper blues side of me,” says Castro. “With these songs, I am at my most authentic.”