Article Contributed by New West Records
Published on 2026-06-30
GA-20 with Charlie Musselwhite will release Blues Now on July 31, 2026 via New West Records. Glide Magazine premieres “I’ll Change My Style” today.
Watch “I’ll Change My Style”:
GA-20 with Charlie Musselwhite will release Blues Now on July 31, 2026 via New West Records. The 10-track set was produced by the band’s Matthew Stubbs and was recorded at Rare Signals in Cambridge, MA. Met with early critical acclaim, MOJO called it in their 4-star review an “Intergenerational blues summit between the harmonica legend and the young trio,” while Uncut Magazine said, “Now aged 82, Mississippi veteran Musselwhite still has the lungs to dispatch down ‘n’ dirty blues with a raging voice and howling harmonica. Saddling up with the Boston-based trio GA-20, he finds new avenues to follow…”
A legendary statesman of the genre, Musselwhite’s name is synonymous with the blues. He is a harmonica virtuoso and esteemed vocalist with a 60-plus year career forged in authenticity and excellence. GA-20 burst onto the scene in 2018, garnering a quick reputation for their 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 number 1 or number 2 on the Billboard Blues charts. Together with the Grammy Award-winning Musselwhite, they shine with a chemistry that blends the spirit of the blues pioneers with an electrifying modern energy.
Blues Now is rooted in the same Chicago blues Musselwhite helped pioneer back in the ’60s, but the injection of GA-20’s visceral style and unique instrumentation make room for wider interpretations. Here, GA-20 and Musselwhite are a crew of equals, with Musselwhite easing into GA-20 and everybody toggling between lead roles and support. The collaboration has been a long time coming, and at the heart of it, most inherently, is the shared love of blues. Not retro blues. Just blues. Full stop.
Today, Glide Magazine premiered the album standout “I’ll Change My Style.” GA-20’s Matthew Stubbs says, “This is a love song that blurs the lines between blues and traditional country, harkening back to the roots of early American music. Charlie Musselwhite’s friendship with Jimmie Reed is celebrated here in a dynamic and soulful rendition.”
Relix Magazine previously shared the album’s first single and lead-off track, “Crazy Love,” while Magnet Magazine shared the highlight “I Can’t Hold Out” as well.
In early 2025, GA-20 booked six days of studio time and started gathering some of their favorite songs by Elmore James, Junior Wells, Eddie Taylor, and more. Also included were two favorites from Musselwhite’s lauded 1968 debut, Stand Back! Stubbs says, “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.” Adding, “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, but they also wanted the imperfections of the moment. Musselwhite says with a glint in his eye, “We’re so good we have to make mistakes on purpose. Everything went smoothly. Making this album was as easy as falling off a log.”
The terrific Blues Now lives up to its name, letting the music speak as strongly in 2026 as it did in 1968. It embodies a living, musical conversation that spans generations. It is an ongoing dialogue to the enduring spirit of the genre and reaffirms its timeless appeal. It reminds us that the blues is a living, breathing art form.
It’s also a hell of a good time.
Blues Now will be available across digital platforms, compact disc, and standard black vinyl. A very limited Teal Marble vinyl edition will be available from Plaid Room Records and Seasick Records, while a limited Green Splatter vinyl edition will be available exclusively from the band. A limited Red Marble vinyl edition including an autographed insert by GA-20 and Charlie Musselwhite will be available via independent retailers and is also available for pre-order now via New West Records.
Blues Now Track Listing
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 On Tour
July
July 03 – Blues Cazorla – Cazorla, ES
July 04 – Rockin’Fest – Madrid, ES
July 10 – Åmåls Bluesfest – Åmål, SE
July 11 – SALT – Oslo, NO
August
August 14 – Homer Center for the Arts – Homer, NY*
August 15 – Songs At Mirror Lake – Lake Placid, NY*
August 16 – Academy Park – Lewiston, NY*
August 18 – The Ark – Ann Arbor, MI*
August 20 – Big Top Chautauqua – Bayfield, WI*
August 22 – Chenango Blues Festival – Norwich, NY^
August 23 – Dakota – Minneapolis, MN*
August 25 – Redstone Room – Davenport, IA*
August 26 – Castle Theatre – Bloomington, IL*
August 27 – The Acorn – Three Oaks, MI*
August 28 – Sharon Wilson Center – Brookfield, WI*
August 29 – Blues & Brew on the Fox – St. Charles, IL*
August 30 – Mercury Ballroom – Louisville, KY*
September
September 05 – Jonathan Edwards Winery – North Stonington, CT+
September 19 – Telluride Blues & Brews Festival – Telluride, CO^
September 24 – Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club – Portsmouth, NH^
September 26 – Narrows Center for the Arts – Fall River, MA^
September 30 – Jazz Dock – Prague, CZ
October
October 02 – Blues Heaven Festival – Frederikshavn, DK
October 03 – Rampelys – Silkeborg, DK
October 06 – Kulturkvarteret – Kristianstad, SE
October 07 – Medley – Malmö, SE
October 08 – Sundbyberg – Stockholm, SE
October 09 – Hunker Junker – Söderhamn, SE
October 10 – Roda Kvarn – Ljusdal, SE
October 11 – House of Blues – Borlänge, SE
October 14 – G Livelab – Tampere, FI
October 15 – G Livelab – Helsinki, FI
October 16 – Apollo – Turku, FI
October 17 – Elojazz Klubi – Oulu, FI
October 20 – Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club
October 21 – Edinburgh, UK – Cabaret Volataire
October 22 – Chester, UK – St. Mary’s A Creative Space
October 23 – London, UK – Colours
October 24 – Faversham, UK – The Old Brewery Store
October 30 – Paris, France – New Morning
November
November 07 – Tucson, AZ – Blues Heritage Festival
November 08 – Santa Fe, NM – Tumbleroot Brewery
November 10 – Dallas, TX – Kessler Theatre
November 11 – Austin, TX – State Theatre
November 12 – Houston, TX – Heights Theatre
November 13 – New Orleans, LA – Jazz Market
November 14 – Biloxi, MS – Ground Zero Blues Club
November 17 – Orlando, FL – Judson’s Live
January / February 2027
January 31, 2027 – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise – Fort Lauderdale, FL^
February 07
^Charlie Musselwhite & GA-20 together onstage
*Supporting Devon Allman
+Supporting Los Lobos
