“I hope we did Rory right”: Joe Bonamassa reflects on “emotional” Rory Gallagher tribute gigs
Joe Bonamassa has just wrapped up a trio of shows in Cork, Ireland paying tribute to guitar hero Rory Gallagher, and has shared his thoughts following what he recently called “the biggest honour and greatest challenge of my musical life”.
In a new post on Instagram, the blues legend and guitar collector – who recently picked up his own sunburst Fender Strat in preparation for the gigs – reflects on the “many emotions running through my head right now”.
READ MORE: “S**t, what did I just sign up for?” Joe Bonamassa reveals fears over Rory Gallagher tribute gig
Bonamassa says the prevailing emotion he’s feeling after wrapping the shows is “gratitude”.
“I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and to have conquered my own self-doubt in accepting this incredible honour and responsibility,” he writes.
“I hope we all did Rory right and played these shows in his spirit. I hope he would have been proud to see the love from his hometown carrying his legacy on.
“An honour of a lifetime for that I will never forget. Thank you Donal, Daniel, Eoghan and the entire Gallagher family for your trust.”
JoBo goes on to thank his backing band, and the “15,000 strong that came out for the three nights”: “Still processing it all and it might take a while.”
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Last year after the shows were announced, Bonamassa expressed his apprehension at paying tribute to Gallagher, one of his all-time musical heroes.
“When they reached out I said: ‘You had me at hello.’ Then I thought about it and went: ‘Shit, what did I just sign up for?’” he explained to Classic Rock in December.
He went on: “I told [them]: ‘I’m not Rory; I don’t want to be a tribute act that replicates all the little glitches and mistakes. I’m going to be myself. And they said that’s exactly what they want. Having heard that, I could relax. It’s proven very popular, and from two shows it became three.”
He concluded: “It’s like all of the tribute shows I’ve done, with The Three Kings [blues legends Freddie, Albert and BB] and the one to Clapton, Beck & Page, you just have to go in there with conviction and show the fans how much the music means. But that’s me, I’ll never back down from a challenge.”
Rory Gallagher’s iconic 1961 Fender Stratocaster sold for nearly £900,000 at auction last year, and was described by auction house Bonhams as “one of the world’s most recognisable guitars”.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
