Bet on Tinsley Ellis's Winning Hand

Tinsley Ellis is one of the greatest blues rockers of all time. The man has a catalogue that would make most musicians’ heads spin. With sixteen albums released over thirty years, he shows no sign of stopping. How many songs live inside Tinsley Ellis? The world may never know. However, it will enjoy another great collection in 2018, released on Alligator Records. Winning Hand is classic Tinsley without sounding tired or worn out – which is incredible given the depth of work we’ve already seen from him.

The album opens with a rocker, immediately showing off Ellis’s skill at songwriting: interesting guitar licks, clever lyrics, and engaging solos. While the album holds together with a classic Tinsley sound, it’s also graced with instruments not heard live. Kevin McKindree on piano and organ adds a richness and depth to each song that rounds the edges of Ellis’s powerful sound. “Don’t Turn Off the Light” is a beautiful mid-tempo ballad that employs strings to give the song an obvious B.B. King feel. As one of Ellis’s heroes, it’s not surprising to hear King’s influence on Winning Hand. Ellis gave another King a nod with his Freddie-inspired take on Leon Russell’s “Dixie Lullaby,” the only cover on the album.

Ellis also uses his fiery guitar on a couple gut-wrenching ballads. “Gamblin’ Man” is a super soulful slow burner with a passionate guitar solo and organ perfection. This will be the one to see live; Tinsley will no-doubt tear your face off with his skill and butter-like tone. Ellis actually closes the album with a delightfully distorted slow burner, the guitar reminiscent of Trower’s “Bridge of Sighs.” If “Gamblin’ Man” doesn’t move you, “Saving Grace” will. That’s why we keep coming back. 

It’s all about the guitar. Open the liner notes, and it’s not just a picture of the five beautiful guitars used on this album, but the track listing inside includes the guitar used, as though they’re a member of the band. And in a way, they are. Part of what makes Winning Hand so musically interesting is Tinsley’s choice of guitar and the tone he pulls from his instrument like a fine-spun thread of the softest cotton. The rest is a diverse collection of styles, tempos, and lyrical themes that prove Mr. Ellis is indeed holding a winning hand. 

Images from tinsleyellis.com