Brad “Guitar” Wilson

The Californian

Cali Bee Music

International guitarist-singer-songwriter Brad “Guitar” Wilson has a soulful contemporary sound. His performances have made him a stand-out hit at countless shows. Brad is an exciting entertainer who can entertain the house with the best of them. Brad has been on stage at sold-out shows throughout California opening for Chicago, Buddy Guy, Cheap Trick, .38 Special, the Marshall Tucker Band,  Tommy Castro and many others. Brad has seven previous albums including 2022’s self-titled Brad “Guitar” Wilson, and 2024’s Buckle Up!. Brad recorded the song “Teaser” for the John Carpenter  movie “Vampires” and his songs have been featured on television shows including “The Young & The Restless”. This new album was recorded in Brussels, Belgium; with additional recording in California.

The band includes Brad on guitar and lead vocals; either Chris Rayne (Santana), Luca Catalfamo, or  Frankie Virens, keyboards; Hal Cragin, Brian Beal, or Fabrizo Erba, bass; Tony Braunagel or Toto Poznantek, drums; Marieke de Vaan aka Marie K, harmonica; and backing singers, Leanna Baxter, Francis Buckley, and Galen Keith. The album is produced by Buckley.

The album includes 8 originals and six covers. The opening track “It Hurts Me Too” was first recorded by Tampa Red in 1940, and re-imagined by Elmore James in 1957, ” when things go wrong, wrong with you, it hurts me too”. “Lightning In A Bottle”, “this is what I got…lightning in a bottle”. “Say You  Wanna Dance”, “say you wanna dance, say you want to boogie, say you want to swing, say you want to rock…say you wanna dance with me…ready set go”.

“Dead Flowers” is the Rolling Stones classic written by Jagger & Richards, “take me down little Suzie, take me down…send me dead flowers, every morning…and I won’t forget to put roses on your grave”. “Monterey, Monterey…next to the sea, Monterey, Monterey, waves on the rocks, seagulls in the sky”. “Heartbreaker”, you can’t eat, you can’t sleep, the fever is so strong, you take a chance on love, it’s a heartbreaker”.

“Ready For Love” was written by Mick Ralphs for Mott The Hoople in 1972, “walk along this rocky  road…finding out along the way, what it takes to keep a woman…I’m ready for love”. “Back Roads” features an elegant guitar solo from Brad “gimme those back roads, yeah…it’s a two lane road, yeah …back roads, yeah, I mean back roads, yeah”. “Summertime Blues” was co-written and recorded by Eddie Cochran in 1958, “sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do, there ain’t no cure for the  Summertime blues”.

“Goin Home”, “I’m going home…goin’ home to all that I know, goin’ home to all that I love”. “I Work Alone” is a truck driving song, “I work twelve hour shifts, driving this truck, rollin’ along, thinkin’ about holdin’ you close, you got to do what you gotta’, I work alone”. “Love and Peace” written by Arthur Adams, is an instrumental version first recorded by the Jazz Crusaders in 1968, with some  great Hammond organ from Rhyne and beautiful guitar playing from Brad. “Teaser” is from the  score of the John Carpenter movie “Vampires”. The closer “Groaning The Blues”, written by Willie  Dixon was recorded by Otis Rush in 1957, “I’m so tired of groanin’, trying to cry away my blues,  every time I think of you”, with another beautiful guitar solo from Brad.

“The Californian” is a geographically appropriate album, and the music keeps flowing with an additional half-dozen, smartly executed covers. This is the best I have ever heard from Brad “Guitar” Wilson.

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene

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