Even during the pandemic, business is booming in Nerdville. Joe Bonamassa just issued another album—Abbey Road-recorded, Brit-blues explosion Royal Tea—that went straight to the top of this week’s Billboard blues chart (for his 24th number one, the most ever). Prior to release of the record—his 14th studio LP since 2000, in addition to numerous live and collaborative efforts—Bonamassa played Royal Tea in its entirety at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium to thousands of fans around the globe. A merchandising genius who sells everything from lenticular puzzles and license plates to snow globes and storage tins, Bonamassa has also been using his salesman skills for his Fueling Musicians Program, which has thus far raised more than $350,000 for 200-plus artists not able to tour because of COVID. And he’s launched Live From Nerdville, a video interview series that’s featured the likes of Paul Stanley (Kiss), Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick), John Oates (Hall & Oates), Scott Ian (Anthrax), John Mayall and Brad Paisley. Joe Bonamassa is our kind of blues.
