close

Ex Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor joins Stephen Dale Petit on his UK tour this May

Posted: 15 years ago

Two of Blues' most respected guitarists - the up-and-coming Stephen Dale Petit, whose Guitararama debut was voted Guitar Magazine Album of the Year 2008 and Mick Taylor (generally regarded as the unsung hero and power behind the greatest Rolling Stones incarnation) are to delight British Blues and Rock fans this spring when the New Blues Crusade Tour hits the UK.

Stephen Dale Petit - a renowned 'Gibson Ambassador' - has shared stages with, amongst others, BB and Albert King, The Clash's Mick Jones, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, The Pretty Things' Phil May, Ian Stewart of the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton.

Petit, who is currently putting the finishing touches to his second album in Lincoln's famous Chapel Studios with the production team behind recent Arctic Monkeys, Editors and Kaiser Chiefs albums, enthuses -

I'm incredibly honoured to have Mick playing with us for these shows. My journey from being homeless and skint, busking on London Underground, to recording and releasing Guitararama, to touring the UK and playing to over 20,000 people last year, plus the 2008 Album of the Year thing has all been a dream come true. A lot of fantastic things have happened recently - and now taking New Blues to the country with a personal, lifelong guitar hero playing alongside me... it doesn't get much better than this!

Mick Taylor, at barely 18 years of age, famously followed in the mighty footsteps of Eric Clapton and Peter Green as guitarist with blues/rock icon John Mayall's Bluesbreakers before replacing Brian Jones in the Rolling Stones. He performed on Let It Bleed, Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street, Goats Head Soup and It's Only Rock 'n' Roll - making him one of British Rock's most successful and important guitarists of all time and leading him to be hailed by Bob Dylan as "one of the most stunning guitarists in the world" whilst Keith Richards very recently lamented that he still really missed Mick being alongside him in the band.

Taylor comments on the tour and the seemingly inexorable rise of 'New Blues'-

Blues music is becoming more and more popular than it ever was. I'm always meeting people on the road who are really young and are guitar players - both male and female. Just come and see Stephen & I play - you're in for something really special!

In the last few months, Stephen Dale Petit has received enthusiastic media coverage from, amongst many others: BBC Radio 4 Midweek, The Independent, Time Out, Blues In Britain, Guitar magazine, both the Sunday & Daily Mirror, Capital Radio, Rock 'n Reel magazine, TotalRock Radio, News of the World, BBC Radio London, Classic Rock magazine, Blues Matters, Guitarist magazine, BBC Radio 2, Sunday Express and interviews with, and live performance on, over 50 local radio stations. His debut album Guitararama was an HMV Blues Chart Top 10 album and has recently scooped column metres of critical praise.

Dates for May 2009 so far confirmed include:

Thursday 7th May Liverpool Cavern Club

Friday 8th May Durham Gala Theatre

Saturday 9th May Glasgow Renfrew Ferry

Wednesday 13th May London 100 Club

Thursday 14th May Spalding South Holland Centre

Friday 15th May Market Harborough Leisure Centre

Friday 22nd May Wimborne Tivoli Theatre