Tinsley Ellis on Songwriting and His 6th Grade Talent Show

Tinsley Ellis (credit - Flournoy Holmes)

Photo credit: Flournoy Holmes

Tell us about your tour vehicle.

We often fly and get rentals cars, but when we drive it’s in a 15 passenger Ford van with 2 seats removed to accommodate gear.

How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?

We really don’t. It’s a wonder I’m still alive!

How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?

I change strings every night to avoid breaking them. They are around $5 a pack now.

Where do you rehearse?

Very cramped quarters in my basement studio to work in new band members and then at sound checks one or two new songs at a time.

What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?

1967 “I don’t wanna go to war and I wanna be free. I said peace baby, peace baby, peace bay-beeee..”

Describe your first gig.

It was 6th grade talent show in front of entire school. We did “Eleanor Rigby” and “I’m Not Your Stepping?Stone”, both current hits on AM radio. I was so happy afterwards. Then the teacher said she had never heard a more out of tune guitar on stage.

What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?

My last day job was back in 1979 in the medical library of Emory University in Atlanta. My title was “assistant stacks supervisor”… and they were not talking about Marshall stacks!

How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?

More people are streaming my music than buying it. But it’s never been better for the listener. The store never runs out, and the store never closes. I expect this trend will continue.

What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?

I wish I had spent more time songwriting when I was younger. I didn’t really get serious about it till I was 40 years old.

Born in Atlanta in 1957, Ellis was raised in southern Florida. He acquired his first guitar at age seven, soon after seeing The Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show. He took to it instantly, developing and sharpening his skills as he grew up. Ellis discovered the blues through the back door of British Invasion bands like The Yardbirds, The Animals, Cream and The Rolling Stones as well as Southern rockers like The Allman Brothers. One night in 1972, he and a friend were listening to Al Kooper and Michael Bloomfield’s Super Session record when his friend’s older brother told them if they liked that, they should really go see B.B. King, who was in town that week.

Tinsley and his friends went to the Saturday afternoon performance, sitting transfixed in the front row. When B.B. broke a string on his guitar, Lucille, he changed it without missing a beat, and handed the broken string to Ellis. After the show, B.B. came out and talked with fans, mesmerizing Tinsley with his warmth and kindness. Tinsley’s fate was now sealed; he had to become a blues guitarist. He saw Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and every other blues artist who came through town, always sitting up front, always waiting to meet the artists, take photos, and get autographs. To this day, he still has B.B.’s string.

Devil May Care, Ellis’ 20th album, contains ten of his most dynamic original compositions, mixing muscular rock ‘n’ roll and hard blues into his own instantly recognizable sound. Highlights include the Southern rock-tinged opening trio of songs — “One Less Reason”, “Right Down The Drain”, and “Just Like Rain” — to the slow-burning “Don’t Bury Our Love” to the Hendrix-y “Step Up” and “28 Days”. The emotionally-charged guitar solos soar in full service to the songs, as if Ellis is living and breathing the sound rather than simply playing the notes.

Connect with Ellis online and on the road.