Many artists don’t like their music to be categorized, but Tinsley Ellis is comfortable with the term southern rock.
“I am from the South and it rocks, therefore it must be southern rock,” said Ellis, who plays at 9 p.m. Monday, July 29 in the Crystal Bay Casino Red Room and 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 30 in the Village of Squaw Valley for Bluesdays. Both shows are free.
“I gravitate more toward the Allman Brothers-Derek Trucks thing and definitely not more toward Molly Hatchet, Lynyrd Skynyrd, where you have people with cowboy hats who have never touched a horse.
“I like the original Allman Brothers version of southern rock. If people want to compare me to that, I am all for it. But not so much Charlie Daniels. Go to one of his shows, it’s a political rally.”
Trucks made his recording debut on one Ellis’ records, which now total 13. He recently released an all-instrumental album,“Get It!”
This week will be Ellis’ first Tahoe appearance since 2010, when he broke the Bluesdays attendance record. He said loves the venue.
“That will be like shooting fish in a barrel because we do party music and they’ll be ready for it,” Ellis said.
The rhythm section is new. Jason Reichert, who for the past eight years played with Arrested Development, is on drums. Bassist Ted Pecchio, who plays electric bass and double bass, used to play with Susan Tedeschi’s band. Both live in Ellis’ hometown Atlanta. The previous members live in Memphis.
Regardless, both cities are in the South and the music rocks. Therefore: southern rock.
Tinsley Ellis
- 9 p.m. Monday, July 29 – Crystal Bay Casino Red Room
- 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 30 – Squaw Valley Bluesdays
