Gary Clark Jr. Essentials

Gary Clark, Jr.'s brand of electric blues is as big, bold and expansive as the Lone Star State he calls home. Having cut his teeth in the same Austin joints that incubated Stevie Ray Vaughan, the guitarist and singer deftly blends a respect for tradition with daring forays into genre cross-pollination. Flecks of rock, hip-hop and R&B all can be detected in his fuzz-drenched style. Though Clark is no stranger to extended jams showcasing his howling, moaning solos, he also possesses a deep love for slowly rolling blues ballads that sound downright otherworldly.