Tinsley Ellis reveals new album set for 2026

Atlanta blues guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Tinsley Ellis will release Labor Of Love on January 30, 2026. The record marks his second acoustic album following the Blues Music Award-nominated Naked Truth, and his first fully acoustic project built entirely around original material. The album arrives on CD, Georgia peach-colored vinyl, and all major digital platforms. Pre-orders are available now.

Ellis has released the first single, “Hoodoo Woman,” along with a new video directed by Troy Bieser. The track draws directly from Ellis’ deep appreciation of Mississippi Hill Country Blues. “It’s inspired by R.L. Burnside,” Ellis says of the song. “I did shows with R.L. here and in Europe, and his music became ingrained in my soul.”

Labor Of Love features 13 new songs, all self-produced, showcasing a raw and emotionally driven acoustic approach. Ellis weaves stories of natural disasters, spiritual hauntings, personal struggle, and moments of grace. The album ranges from the fierce energy of “Hoodoo Woman” to the John Lee Hooker-influenced “Long Time,” the Skip James-styled “To A Hammer,” and the stomping Son House homage “Sunnyland.” Each performance reflects Ellis’ four decades on the road, offering some of the most honest and deeply felt music of his career.

While working on the album, Ellis visited Bentonia, Mississippi, the birthplace of Skip James and home to blues elder Jimmy “Duck” Holmes. He spent time at Holmes’ iconic Blue Front Café, performing alongside the local legend and absorbing the music’s roots firsthand. “Once I got home,” Ellis explains, “I went right back to the studio and incorporated everything that I just experienced into my music.”

Ellis recorded the album using six different open tunings across his 1969 Martin D-35, his 12-string Martin D-12-20, and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars. For the first time in his career, he also added mandolin to three tracks. He says the acoustic palette continues to inspire him, offering “endless possibilities.”

Since the release of Naked Truth in 2024, Ellis has been touring solo on what he jokingly calls his “Two Guitars And A Car” tour. Performing alone, he says, has brought him closer to the core spirit of the blues. “I love doing these shows,” he notes, with plans to continue touring as a solo acoustic act. “No matter what I play, I like to have an edge. For me, just playing this music is a labor of love. I sat at the feet of Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf. I got into this music because of them. I always told myself if I could just make a living playing the blues, I’d be, at least in my own mind, successful.”

Labor Of Love Track Listing

1. Hoodoo Woman – 3:12
2. Long Time – 2:55
3. To A Hammer – 3:40
4. Sad Sad Song – 2:33
5. The Trouble With Love – 2:59
6. Sunnyland – 2:50
7. Whole Wide World – 2:59
8. Sweet Ice Tea – 2:53
9. I’d Rather Be Saved – 4:20
10. Too Broke – 3:00
11. Low Land Of Sorrow – 3:18
12. Fountain Of Love – 2:57
13. Lay My Burden Down – 3:28