Article Contributed by Alligator Records
Published on January 8, 2026
Photo: Courtesy of Tinsley Ellis
Tinsley Ellis has announced the first leg of his 2026 Labor Of Love tour, a solo acoustic run supporting his new all-acoustic album, Labor Of Love, due Friday, January 30, 2026. The tour begins with three Georgia dates before heading up the East Coast, then through the Midwest, into the Southwest, and on to Florida.
“Ellis delivers a powerful punch of deep roots blues and wicked guitar…a foot-stomping, raucous good time…a joyous and triumphant celebration of acoustic music. You’ll feel it down to the bone.”
–Living Blues
“Glorious, raw and propulsive acoustic blues…killer vocals and biting, dazzling guitar work.”
–AllMusic
“Stripped down and raw…gruff, unembellished vocals…glistening melodies fingerpicked with delicacy…so genuine it seems like a long lost recording.”
–Blues Music Magazine
Labor Of Love is Ellis’ second acoustic album (following 2024’s Blues Music Award-nominated Naked Truth) and his first acoustic release comprised entirely of original material. The album will be available on CD, Georgia peach-colored vinyl LP, and via digital service providers. Pre-orders are available now via Alligator Records.
With Labor Of Love, Tinsley Ellis delivers a raw, edgy, self-produced set of 13 original compositions, all performed with pure emotional honesty. The songs spin modern tales of floods, conflagrations, voodoo spirits, personal travails and heaven-sent prayers. From the feral opener “Hoodoo Woman” to the John Lee Hooker-groove of “Long Time” to the evocative, Skip James-inspired “To A Hammer” to the Son House-style stomp of “Sunnyland,” Ellis inhabits his songs in a way that is simply astonishing.
Each performance carries the weight, experience and hard-earned wisdom Ellis learned over four decades on the road, making Labor Of Love as profoundly deep and moving as any music he has made in his career. It covers the gamut of emotions, finding good times in the hard times, mixing gentle beauty with foot-pounding ferocity.
Since the 2024 release of Naked Truth, Ellis has been traveling on his own, performing solo all over the country in his jokingly named “Two Guitars And A Car” tour. For Ellis, playing solo, acoustic blues has helped him tap into the raw essence of the music.
“I love doing these shows,” Ellis says. “I can be more expressive and emotional as a solo acoustic artist. I just love the sound of acoustic guitar. I always have.”
During a break from the recording of the new album, Ellis spent time in Bentonia, Mississippi, birthplace of Skip James and home to blues legend Jimmy “Duck” Holmes. Ellis soaked up the spirit of this tiny Delta town, hanging out with Holmes and getting a deep insight into genuine Bentonia blues. While there, Ellis performed with Holmes at his famous Blue Front Café, soaking up every moment.
“Once I got home,” notes Ellis, “I went right back to the studio and incorporated everything that I just experienced into my music.”
For the album, Ellis used six different open tunings on his beloved 1969 Martin D-35, his 12-string Martin D-12-20, and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars. He also, for the first time in his career, played mandolin on three of the album’s songs. The instrumentation and the tunings, he notes, create endless possibilities, and he finds himself constantly invigorated by the music.
“No matter what I play, I like to have an edge. For me, just playing this music is a labor of love. I sat at the feet of Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf. I got into this music because of them. I always told myself if I could just make a living playing the blues, I’d be, at least in my own mind, successful.”
Premier Guitar believes he’s more than reached that goal, declaring, “Ellis is a legend of American blues music…he’s an American music treasure. He delivers a sermon on the power and glory of the blues, and is one of modern blues’ greatest performers.”
Jan 29 — Capricorn Studios — Macon, GA
Jan 30 — Eddie’s Attic — Decatur, GA
Jan 31 — Rialto Club – Hotel Indigo — Athens, GA
Feb 10 — The Tin Pan — Richmond, VA
Feb 11 — Rams Head — Annapolis, MD
Feb 12 — The Loft at Manor Mill — Monkton, MD
Feb 13 — Hub City Vinyl — Hagerstown, MD
Feb 14 — Fanatic’s Pub — Lima, NY
Feb 15 — Sportsmen’s Tavern — Buffalo, NY
Feb 16 — The State Theatre — State College, PA
Feb 18 — Woodlands Tavern — Columbus, OH
Feb 19 — 20 Front Street — Lake Orion, MI
Feb 20 — Museum of Art — Muskegon, MI
Feb 21 — Franke Center — Marshall, MI
Feb 22 — The Jazz Kitchen — Indianapolis, IN
Feb 23 — SPACE — Evanston, IL
Feb 24 — Dakota — Minneapolis, MN
Feb 25 — The West Theatre — Duluth, MN
Feb 26 — McMillan Library Concert Series — Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Mar 01 — The Venue — Aurora, IL
Mar 03 — xBk Live — Des Moines, IA
Mar 04 — Vangarde Arts — Sioux City, IA
Mar 06 — Velvet Elk Lounge — Boulder, CO
Mar 07 — Ute Theater — Rifle, CO
Mar 08 — Swallow Hill — Denver, CO
Mar 10 — 191 Toole — Tucson, AZ
Mar 11 — MIM Music Theater — Phoenix, AZ
Mar 14 — Unit B — Santa Fe, NM
Mar 15 — Outpost — Albuquerque, NM
Mar 18 — The Coda Concert House — Joplin, MO
Mar 20 — Ron Robinson Theater — Little Rock, AR
Mar 21 — The Lyric Theater — Harrison, AR
Mar 25 — Orange Blossom Opry — Weirsdale, FL w/ Matt Schofield
Apr 17 — Spire Center for Performing Arts — Plymouth, MA
For tickets and additional information, visit tinsleyellis.com/shows.
