Article Contributed by Doug Deutsch
Published on 2026-05-11
Tab Benoit’s Soul Of The Swamp 2026 Tour brings Louisiana’s living legend to the road with the exciting upstart Ghalia Volt Band.
The “Soul of the Swamp” is not just the catchy name of blues guitarist Tab Benoit’s new tour. For the Houma, Louisiana-born, GRAMMY-nominated lifelong musician, it’s home. Come find out why Benoit is affectionately called “Louisiana’s Living Legend” when he performs at Phil Long Music Hall, 13071 Bass Pro Drive, in Colorado Springs, CO, on Friday, May 22. Show time is 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $36.84. For information, call (719) 401-0600 or visit phillongmusichall.com.
Opening for Benoit on this leg of the tour, through mid-June, is Ghalia Volt Band, fronted by dynamic “One Woman Band” guitarist-vocalist Ghalia Volt, whose new album, Burn The House Down, drops May 15 on Ruf Records.
Here’s what a Tab Benoit live show is like:
“You could certainly feel (Tab’s) ’72 Telecaster, plugged straight into his amp, scream, cry, laugh, and love from the first note,” writes Atlanta Concert Reviews’ Andrew Agresta in a mid-April 2026 review. Benoit’s entire performance was driven by feel. No setlist, no rules, just what felt right. “The way he plays is encompassing, and being in the room felt therapeutic.” As for the band, Agresta enthused, “they were completely locked in. It was hard to believe that wall of sound was coming from just three musicians.”
I Hear Thunder marked Benoit’s triumphant return to releasing new albums, charting #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart during September 2024. The following year, 2025, saw the Bayou blues guitarist win four Blues Blast Music Awards: “Rock Blues Album” for I Hear Thunder, “Blues Band,” “Male Blues Artist,” and “Electric Guitarist of the Year.” The victories were real acknowledgment by Tab’s peers for a much-deserving longtime musician.
Benoit’s journey began in 1992 with a radio hit from his debut record, Nice and Warm. Since then, he has received multiple Blues Music Awards and four GRAMMY nominations. Beyond the music, Benoit is celebrated for his years of activism, particularly concerning the Louisiana wetlands and coastal erosion. He seamlessly intertwines his artistic brilliance with a profound commitment to environmental advocacy, ensuring his legacy extends beyond the stage into the heart of the land that inspires his bluesy soul. Benoit does more than play the blues; he defines its future while paying homage to its rich past.
I Hear Thunder was released in 2024 via Benoit’s imprint, Whiskey Bayou Records, formed in 2017 with Tab’s partner and manager, Rueben Williams. Since its inception, the label has released albums by established artists such as Eric McFadden, Damon Fowler, Eric Johanson, Jeff McCarty, and Dash Rip Rock. Tab also proudly features his touring band on the record, with bassist Corey Duplechin and drummer Terence Higgins solidifying the powerhouse lineup.
Tab Benoit — 2026 Tour Dates
May 22
Colorado Springs, CO
Phil Long Music Hall*****
May 23
Fort Collins, CO
Washington’s*****
May 24
Avon, CO
Blues Brews & BBQ
May 28
Albuquerque, NM
Kimo Theatre*****
May 29
Arena Valley, NM
Whiskey Creek Zocalo*****
May 30
Santa Fe, NM
Tumbleroot Brewery*****
June 2
Casper, WY
The Rialto*****
June 4
Bozeman, MT
The Emerson Center*****
June 5
Kalispell, MT
Wachholz College Center*****
June 6
Spokane, WA
Bing Crosby Theatre*****
June 7
Seattle, WA
Neptune Theatre*****
June 10
Portland, OR
Aladdin Theatre*****
June 11
Bend, OR
Tower Theatre*****
June 12
Boise, ID
Egyptian Theatre*****
June 13
Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Blues Festival
June 14
Grand Junction, CO
Mesa Theater*****
July 2
Laconia, NH
Colonial Theater**
July 3
Fall River, MA
Narrows Center**
July 4
Brownfield, ME
Stone Mountain Arts Center**
July 5
Truro, MA
Payomet PAC**
July 8
Atlantic City, NJ
Tony Mart Concerts on the Boardwalk**
July 9
Newton, NJ
Newton Theatre**
July 10
Sellersville, PA
Sellersville Theater**
July 11
Nescopeck, PA
Briggs Farm Blues Festival
July 12
Great Barrington, MA
The Mahaiwe PAC**
July 16
Wyandotte, MI
District 142******
July 17
Paw Paw, MI
Warner Vineyards**
July 18
McHenry, IL
The Vixen*****
July 19
Hobart, IN
Art Theater**
July 22
Bloomington, IL
The Castle Theatre**
July 23
Iowa City, IA
The Englert Theatre**
July 24
Kansas City, MO
Knuckleheads**
July 25
Kansas City, MO
Knuckleheads**
July 26
Columbia, MO
The Blue Note******
August 21
Tucson, AZ
Fox Theatre*
August 22
Phoenix, AZ
MIM*
August 23
Phoenix, AZ
MIM*
August 25
Pioneertown, CA
Pappy & Harriet’s*
August 27
Solana Beach, CA
Belly Up Tavern*
August 28
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Belly Up Tavern*
August 29
Bakersfield, CA
World Records*
August 30
Venice, CA
Venice West*
September 3
Berkeley, CA
Cornerstone*
September 4
Sacramento, CA
Quarry Park Amphitheatre*
September 5
Napa, CA
Uptown Theatre*
September 6
Lake Tahoe, CA
The Hangar*
September 10–13
Las Vegas, NV
Big Blues Bender
September 17
Englewood, CO
The Gothic*
September 19–20
Telluride, CO
Telluride Blues & Brews Festival
October 1
Minneapolis, MN
Pantages Theater*****
October 2
Green Bay, WI
Green Bay Event Center*****
October 8
Columbus, OH
Lincoln Theatre*
October 9
Cincinnati, OH
Taft Theatre*
October 10
Wabash, IN
Eagles Theatre*
October 11
Cleveland, OH
House of Blues*
October 14
Warrendale, PA
Jergels Rhythm Grille*
October 15
Buffalo, NY
Town Ballroom*
October 16
Homer, NY
Center for the Arts of Homer*
October 17
Kingston, NY
Assembly Kingston*
October 18
Northampton, MA
Academy of Music*****
October 21
Red Bank, NJ
The Vogel*
October 24
Lebanon, NH
Lebanon Opera House*
October 25
Groton, MA
Groton Hill Music Center*
November 5
Charlotte, NC
Neighborhood Theatre****
November 8
Charleston, SC
Charleston Music Hall*****
November 11
Atlanta, GA
Variety Playhouse*****
November 12
Foley, AL
OWA Theatre*****
November 18
Houston, TX
The Heights Theater*****
November 19
Dallas, TX
Longhorn Ballroom*****
November 20
New Braunfels, TX
Gruene Hall*****
* w/ Zac Schulze Gang
** w/ Sgt. Splendor featuring Eric McFadden and Kate Vargas
*** w/ The Cold Stares
**** w/ Jesse Dayton
***** w/ Ghalia Volt
****** w/ Damon Fowler
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