Tad Benoit

Tab Benoit’s rise through the blues world is the kind of story that moves with swagger—steady, soulful, and stamped with Louisiana grit. When he dropped Nice and Warm in ’92, the whole scene took notice. The title track lit up AAA radio, and suddenly Benoit was being mentioned alongside Albert King, Albert Collins, even Hendrix. He hit the road hard, grinding through 250 shows a year, a pace he kept for decades. After four albums with Justice, Vanguard handed him the creative keys, leading to These Blues Are All Mine—the first real glimpse of the sound he’d been chasing.

By 2002, Tab stripped everything down, locking into a three-piece setup that gave his guitar room to breathe. But the music wasn’t his only mission—Louisiana’s disappearing coastline was calling. Spending time in the wetlands reshaped his writing and his spirit. The result was Wetlands, a record that blended Louisiana roots with fresh invention—accordion lines, washboard textures played on guitar, and a vibe entirely his own. It marked the moment Tab Benoit truly became Tab Benoit.

Then came his next act: activism. In 2004 he launched Voice of the Wetlands and built an all-star band—Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, George Porter Jr., and more—to amplify the message through music. They released two albums and still play select shows. Meanwhile, Tab cofounded Whiskey Bayou Records, pushing new artists into the spotlight.

Critics rave about his live shows—intense, funny, passionate, and powered by a single Telecaster that he makes sing like no one else. Originals, covers, jams—whatever he plays, it’s pure Benoit: real, raw, and unforgettable.