Article Contributed by Doug Deutsch
Published on 2026-04-15
BEYOND 1969 FEATURING GUITARIST TOM 'THE SUIT' FORST RELEASE "BACK TO THE BLUES;" INNOVATIVE LIVE IN-STUDIO ALBUM DROPS FRIDAY, APRIL 24
Some records arrive polished to a shine. Others come in with the feel of a live wire still humming from the room where they were made. Beyond 1969, featuring guitarist Tom “The Suit” Forst, aims squarely for the latter with Back To The Blues, a new live in-studio, all-original album set for release on Friday, April 24. The ten-song collection brings together Blues/Rock Hall of Fame inductee, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist Tom Forst; award-winning vocalist, bassist, and songwriter Tony Delisio; keyboardist Jeff Bousfield; and percussionist Bryan Caudle.
Recorded at the award-winning Horizon Music Group, Back To The Blues is presented as a modern blues-rock statement in the tradition of Johnny Winter and Joe Bonamassa. The late Paul Nelson, Grammy winner and touring member of Johnny Winter’s band, previously produced Forst’s earlier release On Fire. Members of Beyond 1969 have also shared stages with artists including The Marshall Tucker Band, George T. Gregory, Styx, The Edgar Winter Band, and The Rhinestones.
“Tony and I wrote these songs about passion—love, loss, lust, loneliness & laughter,” reveals Forst. “Every lyric and note tells a story—one that all humans will relate to.”
The songs on Back To The Blues lean into human contradiction, hard emotion, and the messy ground between desire and consequence. “Consolation Man” flips a familiar power dynamic, telling the story of a man who keeps returning to a woman who mistreats him. “Comin’ Back To The Blues” reflects on both the form’s enduring power and the struggle to carry it forward into the modern world. “Goin’ Down” takes a more mystical turn, looking back on earthly desire from the far side of departure.
Elsewhere, the album explores obsession, pain, control, regret, and fleeting refuge. “I’m Never Gonna Leave You” centers on a dangerous controlling figure. “Feels So Good To Feel Bad” examines the addictive pull of a relationship that wounds as much as it seduces. “Darkest Before The Dawn” finds light through suffering, while “If I Stay With You Tonight” offers brief escape from a collapsing world. “It’s My Own Damn Fault” approaches a love triangle from the perspective of the other man, “When It All Falls Down” surveys the world through one man’s eyes, and “I’m Not Over You Yet” closes with the lingering ache that can outlast a lifetime.
Beyond 1969 was formed to celebrate the music of the hippie generation, revisiting and reimagining songs from that era while also writing, recording, and performing original material rooted in the same spirit. The band’s next major statement, Back To The Blues, arrives in 2026 after being recorded at Connecticut’s top award-winning studio, Horizon Studios, under the direction of owner and producer Vic Steffens.
Tom “The Suit” Forst remains the central force behind the project. A noted blues-rock guitarist and Hall of Fame recording artist, Forst has built a career on soulful phrasing and high-powered performance. A finalist in the King Of The Blues contest and Blues Society awards, he has also served as a judge for the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. His work has been featured in Forbes, Guitar Player, Vintage Guitar, and Elmore Magazine, and his performance history includes appearances with artists ranging from Better Than Ezra and The Stephen Colbert Show Band to Roy Buchanan, Jose Feliciano, Joe Cocker, Robert Palmer, The Saturday Night Live Band, and The Dickey Betts Band. He has also shared stages with 3 Dog Night, Styx, and Marshall Tucker Band.
On bass and lead vocals, Tony Delisio brings more than fifty years of experience from the Connecticut and New England music scene. He currently also holds down the bass role for Connecticut’s own Mighty Soul Drivers, whose recent CD remained at No. 1 for 16 straight weeks on the Roots Music Chart. Over the years, Delisio has played with The George T. Gregory Band and shared stages with Lee Oskar, while opening for acts including Mountain, The Edgar Winter Group, The Rhinestones, Orleans, and The Guess Who. His influences span New Orleans R&B, East Bay funk, and Chicago blues.
Drummer Bryan Caudle has been playing since age nine and performing professionally since age fifteen. His studies with James Clark and Gene Bozzi, along with music theory work at the Hartford Camerata Conservatory, helped shape a musician comfortable across rock, pop, jazz, blues, country, world music, classical, and even marching bands. Keyboardist Jeff Bousfield, a lifelong Connecticut resident, began classical piano at age seven before shifting to contemporary music as a teenager. A Hartford Conservatory of Music jazz and pop performance major, Bousfield has spent decades playing in leading jazz, blues, and rock bands across regional venues, festivals, and casinos, drawing inspiration from Chick Corea, Jan Hammer, Elton John, Chuck Leavell, and Dave Brubeck.
With Back To The Blues, Beyond 1969 is not simply looking backward. The band is working from the deep roots of blues and rock while pushing that energy into the present tense—live, unvarnished, and fully committed to the story in every note.
