Article Contributed by Brat Girl Media
Published on 2026-08-03
GA-20 with Charlie Musselwhite have released Blues Now via New West Records. The 10-track set was produced by the band’s Matthew Stubbs and recorded at Rare Signals in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The album has been met with critical acclaim. MOJO called it an “intergenerational blues summit between the harmonica legend and the young trio,” while Far Out said, “Far from being mere pretenders, copycats or knock-offs, GA-20 is the real deal…a brilliantly put-together record.”
Bandcamp named it to its “Hot List, Summer 2026,” while Relix said, “Blues Now pedals in the ambiance of 1968 into the modern era.” Rock and Blues Muse added, “Hopefully Blues Now gets a volume two since the natural chemistry between Musselwhite and GA-20 has created one of the year’s finest, most powerful and unvarnished deep blues releases.”
A legendary statesman of the genre, Musselwhite’s name is synonymous with the blues. He is a harmonica virtuoso and esteemed vocalist with a career spanning more than 60 years, forged in authenticity and excellence.
GA-20 burst onto the scene in 2018, quickly earning a reputation for dynamic live shows built on a deep respect for the originators and an enduring commitment to carrying the torch forward. Under the Karma Chief imprint of Colemine Records, the band released four studio albums, all of which debuted at either No. 1 or No. 2 on the Billboard Blues charts.
Together with Grammy Award-winning Musselwhite, GA-20 shines with a chemistry that blends the spirit of the blues pioneers with an electrifying modern energy.
The collaborators have also shared a video for the Musselwhite classic “Cristo Redentor.”
“Although Musselwhite didn’t write it, this is Charlie’s signature song and has become a modern blues classic,” Stubbs says. “His virtuosic playing changed the profile of blues harmonica, and it’s a fitting tribute to close out this album with our interpretation, in tandem with Cody Nilsen’s ethereal lap steel.”
GA-20 and Charlie Musselwhite also made their television debut on CBS Saturday Morning over the weekend.
Blues Now is rooted in the same Chicago blues Musselwhite helped pioneer during the 1960s, but the injection of GA-20’s visceral style and unique instrumentation makes room for wider interpretations. Here, GA-20 and Musselwhite are a crew of equals, with Musselwhite easing into GA-20 and everyone moving between lead and supporting roles.
The collaboration has been a long time coming, and at its heart is a shared love of the blues. Not retro blues. Just blues. Full stop.
In early 2025, GA-20 booked six days of studio time and began gathering some of its favorite songs by Elmore James, Junior Wells, Eddie Taylor, and more. Also included were two favorites from Musselwhite’s acclaimed 1968 debut, Stand Back!
“We tried to find songs that Charlie had a connection to or artists that he knew personally from Chicago, but also just songs that we liked and thought we could do justice,” Stubbs says. “The GA-20 sound historically has been in that ballpark of raw Chicago blues from the late ’50s and early ’60s, but we didn’t want to simply re-create Stand Back!. We just wanted to be influenced by it. We wanted to capture the spirit of that record.”
The band and Musselwhite recorded live and worked quickly. They wanted the energy and humanity of living, breathing musicians playing together, along with the imperfections of the moment.
“We’re so good we have to make mistakes on purpose,” Musselwhite says with a glint in his eye. “Everything went smoothly. Making this album was as easy as falling off a log.”
Blues Now lives up to its name, allowing the music to speak as strongly in 2026 as it did in 1968. It embodies a living musical conversation that spans generations, reaffirming the genre’s timeless appeal and reminding listeners that the blues remains a living, breathing art form.
It is also a hell of a good time.
Blues Now is available across digital platforms, on compact disc, and on standard black vinyl. A very limited teal marble vinyl edition is available from Plaid Room Records and Seasick Records, while a limited green splatter vinyl edition is available exclusively from the band.
A limited red marble vinyl edition featuring an insert autographed by GA-20 and Charlie Musselwhite is available through independent retailers and New West Records.
Blues Now Tracklist
1. Crazy Love
2. I Can’t Hold Out
3. I’ll Change My Style
4. Big Stars Falling
5. Universal Rock
6. The Blues Never Die
7. Strange Land
8. Stroll Out West
9. Short Dress Woman
10. Cristo Redentor
GA-20 Tour Dates
August 13 – Portsmouth, NH – Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club
August 14 – Homer, NY – Center for the Arts of Homer
August 15 – Lake Placid, NY – North Elba Showgrounds
August 16 – Lewiston, NY – Academy Park
August 18 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
August 20 – Bayfield, WI – Big Top Chautauqua
August 22 – Norwich, NY – Chenango Blues Festival
August 23 – Minneapolis, MN – Dakota
August 25 – Davenport, IA – Redstone Room
August 26 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre
August 27 – Three Oaks, MI – The Acorn
August 28 – Brookfield, WI – Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts
August 29 – St. Charles, IL – Blues and Brews on the Fox
August 30 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
September 5 – North Stonington, CT – Jonathan Edwards Winery
September 15 – Nashville, TN – AmericanaFest
September 19 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Blues & Brews Festival
September 24 – Portsmouth, NH – Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club
September 26 – Fall River, MA – Narrows Center for the Arts
September 30 – Prague, Czechia – Jazz Dock
October 2 – Frederikshavn, Denmark – Blues Heaven Festival
October 3 – Silkeborg, Denmark – Rampelys
October 6 – Kristianstad, Sweden – Kulturkvarteret Kristianstad
October 7 – Malmö, Sweden – Medley
October 8 – Sundbyberg, Sweden – Folkets Hus
October 9 – Söderhamn, Sweden – Hunker Junker
October 10 – Ljusdal, Sweden – Röda Kvarn Kök & Salong
October 11 – Borlänge, Sweden – Borlange House
October 14 – Tampere, Finland – G Livelab
October 15 – Helsinki, Finland – G Livelab
October 16 – Turku, Finland – Apollo Turku
October 17 – Oulu, Finland – Elojazz
October 20 – Leeds, United Kingdom – Brudenell Social Club
October 21 – Edinburgh, United Kingdom – Cabaret Voltaire
October 22 – Chester, United Kingdom – St Mary’s Centre
October 23 – London, United Kingdom – Colours Hoxton
October 24 – Faversham, United Kingdom – The Old Brewery Store
October 30 – Paris, France – New Morning
November 7 – Tucson, AZ – Southern Arizona Blues & Heritage Festival
November 8 – Santa Fe, NM – Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery
November 10 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater
November 11 – Austin, TX – State Theatre
November 12 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater
November 13 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market
November 14 – Biloxi, MS – Ground Zero Blues Club Biloxi
November 16 – Sarasota, FL – McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre
November 17 – Orlando, FL – Judson’s Live
November 18 – Boca Raton, FL – The Funky Biscuit
November 19 – St. Augustine, FL – Dog Rose Brewing Company
November 20 – Macon, GA – Grant’s Lounge
November 21 – Savannah, GA – Nickel and Oak Lounge
January 22 – Portland, ME – Portland House of Music and Events
January 31 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 2027
For more information, please visit GA20Band.com.
