THE STORY OF SONNY BOY SLIMby

GARY CLARK JR.

PRESS QUOTE SHEET

(Revised Nov 18, ’16)

“I come from a place where genres co-existed in the most beautiful way, jumping from stage to stage with different genre artists. Its something that I never thought about. And I wouldn’t be

happy playing music if I only did one thing” – Gary Clark Jr.

“Fantastic. Beautiful. Inspiring. It’s like when Marvin came out with ‘What’s Goin’ On’” – Eric Clapton

“Gary Clark Jr. is plying the most exciting set of his career” – Rolling Stone / Jan 14, ‘16

“On ‘The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim,’ he’s got a frim handle on the narritives he wants to unfurl, the roles he wants to embody and the sounds he wants to play up. He makes primal concerns seem at once colossal, socially incisive and personal, so that it hardly matters where autobiography ends and invention begins. All this blues-bendingexpansion is no accident. Clark elected to produce himself this time, holing up in a homwtown studo so that he could push his evoluition forward on his own thrilling therms.” – NPR / Jewly Hight

“Clark pushes back against expectations and sterotypes to realize the full embodiement of his expansive musical vision.” -- Relix Magazine (Clark cover artist)

“Clark carves out a Prince-ly room of his own with wah-wah-washed acid rock (“Grinder”) and ping-ponging, Bootsey-tinted funk (“star”). Theres also the rap-cadence soul of “Hold On”, with echoes of Marvin Gaye and Kanye West; the deep groove of “Wings”…the playing never stumbles…’This music is my healing’, Clark passionately declares on the albums opening slavo, “The Healing.” In the reprise, he sings that line again, changing “my” to “our.” And for the most part, he’s right.” – Rolling Stone

“It’s no mean feat referring to the past without skidding into a retro rut. But Gary Clark Jr.’s new album offers a Master Class in the art. ‘The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim,’ Clark cast that sound in a more broad way and modern context. The combination makes this a more multi-faceted work than ‘Blak And Blu’. Another fine effort”. – New York Daily News (4 Stars out of 5)

“At 31, he’s proprbaly the most aclaimed bluesman of his generation, a guitar hero of potent magnetism. Mr. Clark is smart to resist typecasting and to approach the studio as a platform distinct from the stage.” – New York Times

“Clark galvanizes his genre-jumping…Dig the effortless transition from rootsy R&B (“Our Love”) to acoustic Sunday-school rave up (Church”).– Entertainment Weekly (A- rating)

“Loud and powerful. The vocals are warm and soulful, with gorgeous backing harmonies flutteriing around Clakr Jr.’s eanerst lyrics.” – RollingStone.Com

“No one tires of hearing someone rip a guitar to pieces. Hell, no one tires of doing it. Bluesey rock-and-roller and soon-to-be-legand gary Clark Jr wants his newest album, ‘The Story of Sonny Boy Slim’, to be more than just a guitar-shredding fest. He wants you to know he’s also a ‘singer-songwriter soul funk dude.’ Nearly 45 minutes and 12 songs later, Clark bequeaths to us the Motown feel-good we crave. He graces us with country bliss and straight-up groove in the tracks. He remnds us of his uncanny ability to seemlessly weave togheter sounds and genres with little hesitation. It’s not something he consioulsy does. He’s just makling “soul music.” –Huffington Post

“It’s fair to say he’s a seasoned recording artist at this point in his career. ‘The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim’ thrives on it’s diversity in fact. Deeply felt and infectious…the temptation to progressivly hike the volume is as irresistable as that to learn the words and sing along.” – Glide Magazine

“He’s playing more than just the blues…anyone who’s listened to Clark knows that he does more than one thing; hip-hop drums, psych-flares, sweet Philly soul, funk-rock, and yes, blues garage rock show up loudly more than once. Listeners get a further peek into who he is on his newest and second studio LP, ‘The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim’. – EW.Com

“Gary Clark Jr.’s highly anticipated second album, ‘The Story of Sonny Boy Slim,’ shows off his evolution of an artist.” – Yahoo Music

“Clark has made it increasingly clear that his creative ambitions run a lot deeper than being the next hotshot guitar slinger. ‘The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim’ is a thoughtful and passionate amalgam of African-American music past and present, and the blues is one of many crucial ingredients in the formula along with R&B, soul, funk, gospel, and hip-hop. Outstanding throughout, but his style is more about expressive layers of sound than tasty licks, and this isn’t a guitar album so much as an album that features a lot of guitar amidst a rich variety of ingredients. Clark has more on his mind. This music declares he’s one artist who will see to it that the blues does indeed have a future which is what makes him important and Sonny Boy Slim a serious leap forward from ‘Blak And Blu.” -- AllMusic (8 out of 10)

“Clark is not here to recycle blues riffs or being the next Stevie Ray Vaughn. Rather, he’s more interested in breaking down the blues, blues-rock and soul-blues boundaries and expands the genre by giving it an acid-enhanced infusion.” -- American Songwriter (4 out of 5 Stars)

“’The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim’ unleashes numerous thunderous riffs that spark with palpable friction. ’The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim’ is an album that’s impossible to pin down…It’s a pleasant surprise to hear that he’s capable of so much more.” – Exclaim! Magazine (Canada)

“A masterpiece; a blend of rock, hip-hop and oodles of gorgeous falsetto-sung soul, all laced through with Clark’s extraordinary guitar playing. Wonderful”. –London Sunday Express (UK) “Album Of The Week”

“What’s a guitar slinger to do when the thrill of a solo fades? In the case of Gary Clark Jr., you follow a double live LP heavy on six-string fireworks with a one-man-band studio album that establishes a more distinctive vision by putting the axe in a support position. Instead, Clark pivots his tunesmithery around lubes of rhythms and soulful vocal melodies, evoking decades of R&B without forswearing the blues. Good call. ‘The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim’ stakes out territory Gary Clark Jr. can proudly call his own”. – Austin Chronicle (4 Stars out of 5)

“’The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim’ smoothes out some of the wayward fire, as Clark uses the album to comb through states of danger, frustration, and especially love. In the end, Clark finds what he’s looking for. With a new dose of narrative flow…more driven, with sharper eyes on the road. ‘The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim’ wraps like an old Western: Wherever Clark’s been going, he gets there.” – Consequence of Sound

“Every decade or so a guitar Phenom breaks through the barrier to totally up the ante of what’s possible. It takes more than playing ability and stage presence. It takes total soul. And that’s exactly what Gary Clark Jr. has always had that set him apart from the herd. Sonny Boy Slim has done just that like no one else before him...the music really is a thing of beauty and truth.” – The Morton Report / Bill Bentley

“Clark has captured a level of honesty and vulnerability in his songwriting.” – Culture Map (Austin)

“Clark’s sophomore effort journeys through an impressively diverse landscape of rock, soul, funk and R&B, synthesizing sounds from the past and present to produce a modern fusion of styles that reflect Clark’s affinity for variety. Triumphant optimism.” – Austin Monthly Magazine (4 out of 5 Stars)

“The product of an artist who can play almost anything he picks up.” – Rolling Stone (“In The Studio”)

“Music does heal. And if you’ve been listening to what Gary Clark Jr has been singing and strumming over the past few years, you may have found your special musical elixir. ‘The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim ebbs and flows from his roots in blues music into more soulful sounds” -- HuffingtonPost .Com / Nov 2015

“’The Story of Sonny Boy Slim’: Much to marvel at.” – Living Blues Magazine

“On ‘The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim’, the 31-year old star pretty much gives everything a go, functioning as a veritable (and astonishingly versatile) one-man band talking drums, keyboards, bass…oh, and of course, guitar. The album brims with fiery, emotive, and imaginative 6-string work. The Austin native is anything but a strict traditionalist – he weaves psychedelic and Delta blues, chillaxed retro-soul, acoustic gospel, and gonzo garage rock into a personal sonic tapestry that’s as daringly au courant as it is classic.” – Premier Guitar Magazine / Joe Bosso (Gary Cover Artist)

“With a deeply personal new album, Gary Clark Jr., who returns to Austin for ACL Fest, is more than just the future of music; he’s preserving his hometown’s musical legacy. It’s a legacy in the best blues tradition, one that Clark is not only keeping alive, but taking to a new level and to a new audience.” – Austin Way Magazine (Gary Cover Artist)

“Clark is not your typical guitarist. It turns out he is an expert in understatement.” – The Guardian.Com

“Brain-bending blues guitar rock is alive and well in the form of Gary Clark Jr. Clark doesn’t navigate music by category or clinical classification – he goes purely by feel, by blood and sweat and groove, and

that’s what makes him one of the greatest at what he does. He’s going to melt your face. Get your hands on his new record, ‘The Story of Sonny Boy Slim’”. – TheDailyBeast.Com

“Clark continues to surprise. Clark isn’t afraid to get loud and dirty. His blues are palpably fiery instead of politely reverential.” – LA Weekly

“Gary Clark Jr. has graced us with a sound that surely been missed…the shining Knight of R&B?” – BestNewBands.Com

“It’s a cliché that great performers never capture their live magic on an album… but it happens.” – Q Magazine / 4 Stars out of 5 (UK)

“Outstanding throughout, but his style is more about expressive layers of sounds rather than tasty licks, and this isn’t as much a guitar album so much as an album that features a lot of guitar amidst a rich variety of ingredients. This music declares that Clark is one artist who will see to it that the blues does indeed have a future, which is what makes him important and ‘The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim’ is a serious leap forward from ‘Blak And Blu’”. –All Music.Com

“It’s still early to throw accolades like “visionary” around but aspects of Clark’s music encourage that reaction.” – AmericanSongwriter.Com

NEW LIVE REVIEWS:

“The word “awesome” just doesn’t fit as a desription of Garly Clark Jr’s talents. These days, it’s impossible to watch him perform without a sence of awe. To say those talents seem to grow exponentially is not an exaggeration.” – American Songwriter Magazine

“He’s packing secret weaponry – a set of searing, souldful new songs. Her’s also introducing new sonic elements…an unleashed fury that moves through is body like a firestorm as he conjures the spirits to resurrect everything that’s still right about the Austin music scene, but it was the new material, rich with heart and a new depth of emotion, that was truly stunning.” – Austin American Statesman

“The notes just tumble from the Texas blues/jam/rock/funk guitarist Gary Clark Jr., and he could have spent his Bonnaroo set playing ripping solos. But Clark tested some new material on the huge crowd. “The Healing” – a cross between John legand and Alice In Chains, had never been played live before, but the way people clapped along, radpidly absording the chorus and applauded at the end, made it seem like an old favorite, or at least destined to become one.” – Rolling Stone

“Gary Clark Jr live is mesmerizing. When Gary starts to play guitar he becomes a force and people are immediatley drawn to him. His playing commands your attention and rewards you with long lasting sonic gifts and a memory and experience that won’t soon be forgottne.” – GuitarDisorder.Com

“This Austinite’s allure is almost comically broad. But amid the mass appeal, he manages to retain the essential snarl of the blues” -- Time Out New York

“Some folks only became aware of singer Gary Clark Jr. when he performed with Chris Stapleton and Bonnie Raitt at the Grammy Awards to honor the late B.B. King. That’s their loss. Clark Jr. has been around for several years now, and the powerful rock and soul singer’s show is not to be missed.” -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Clark has been steadily bending ears towards his deep grooves and acid rock guitar licks. The passion and deep feel for the music is crystal clear and heavily displayed through the it’s live delivery. Gary Clark Jr. is simply an amazing artist and you could tell the crowd was fully aware by them singing along with almost every song.: -- Dallas Morning Post

“Every generation claims a guitar-wielding blues hero as its own. Just as older music fans have embraced B.B. King, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan, people born in the ’80s and ’90s have designated Gary Clark Jr. as their pre-eminent blues man. They’ve made a wise choice.” -- Kansas City Star

“ It's clear that the spirit of the blues flows through Clark as soon as he steps on stage, yet he slowly burns it out, one song at a time. He twitches and pulses like the music is possessing him, and it appears that if he let it out all at once, fires could start.” -- Denver Westword

“Gary Clark Jr. is keeping the blues alive, if that’s still a thing. His live show is an extremely entertaining sight to see.” -- The Tennessean

“The Grammy Award-winning Clark is serving as a gateway for young fans to learn more about the blues. The vibrant style is the foundation for many styles of American music, from rock to hip-hop, and he is perhaps its most visible young champion. While blues remains the cornerstone of his work, he expertly draws from hip-hop, funk, pop, rockabilly and more.” -- San Diego Tribune

“Clark excels in a range of related styles on a collection of gorgeous instruments. The era of the guitar hero might be over, but, fortunately, Gary Clark Jr. didn’t get the memo, and he’s a triple threat in the vocal, writing and shredding department with a lot of good years ahead of him.” -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“The hotshot axeman has multi-genre moves, but is most at home with the blues, and his live performances outstrip his recorded output.” -- The Philadelphia Inquirer

“No matter where he took his music, Clark handled it with aplomb and minimal show-boating. Most impressive were his forays into soul and R&B, songs that honored bands like the Chi-Lites, like “Our Love,” which may explain his appeal to a younger generation, one that typically shows little if any appetite for straight shots of blues and rock-blues — the roots of rock ’n’ roll. On this night, Clark, a child of the ’80s, sated a hunger for a variety of sounds rooted in timeless music.” -- Kansas City Star

“The young gun out of Austin turned the Santa Barbara Bowl into the outdoor roadhouse of your dreams. Clark, who has mastered the alchemy of putting on a great stage show, never took a false step. Like Chuck Berry or Keith Richards, Clark conducts from the guitar in constant, dazzling conversation with his drummer, Johnny Radelat, and his bassist, Johnny Bradley. And even though there are four musicians onstage, including rhythm and slide virtuoso Eric “King” Zapata, the band comes across as more of a classic power trio like Band of Gypsys or Cream than a two-guitar, Southern-rock/blues quartet. This economy of expression pays off in impact. A Gary Clark Jr. audience feels each and every note in their bones. Clark’s not crossing over; he’s just bringing a bigger blues to the 21st-century stage. we’re hearing something that sounds contemporary in 2016 but that could have torn the roof off of either Fillmore in 1969. Music doesn’t progress; neither does it decline. The musicians of today aren’t better than those of 40 — or 400 — years ago, and they’re not

worse. What matters is great music, music like Clark is making, music that plays tricks on time.” -- Santa Barbara Independent

“It was a commanding entrance, as if Jimi Hendrix has walked out in 1969…riffing throug the verses with measured cool, Clark wasted no time warming up in his solo, strafing the air with crusty shreiks, climaxing in a sustained paroxysm of staccato strum and fretboard slaslom. Claark’s balancing act – a genuine, riveting phenomenon in his field, suspicious of the conservitism implicit in the mantle of saviour – was a running zigzag in this tweo-hour show.” – Mojo Magazine (UK) / David Fricke