Article Contributed by New West Records
Published on 2026-04-30
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. BLUES NOW unites GA-20, one of today’s most celebrated young blues trios, and Charlie Musselwhite, a legendary statesman of the genre. Musselwhite’s name is synonymous with the blues, 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, Relix Magazine, premiered the album’s first single and lead off track, “Crazy Love,” which was penned by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Buddy Guy. GA-20’s Matthew Stubbs says “This song has all of the elements we look for: the attitude, Chicago blues-based, with a soul/garage approach. Buddy Guy is a favorite, and this tune is not one easily found. It’s a hidden Buddy Guy gem.”
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 & 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 and testament 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.
