Tinsley Ellis unveils “Sweet Ice Tea” video
Atlanta-based blues guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Tinsley Ellis has released a new music video for “Sweet Ice Tea,” a standout track from his latest album Labor Of Love. The album arrived on January 30 and marks Ellis’ second acoustic release, following 2024’s Blues Music Award-nominated Naked Truth. Unlike its predecessor, Labor Of Love features entirely original material.
The album is available on CD, Georgia peach-colored vinyl LP, and across all digital streaming platforms.
“Sweet Ice Tea” made its debut on the nationally syndicated radio program Acoustic Café, which airs in more than 120 markets across the United States. Since the release of Labor Of Love, the album has found strong support on radio, reaching No. 1 on the NACC Blues Genre Chart (North Americana College & Community) and The Big Blues Radio Chart. The record has also appeared on the Folk Alliance International Radio Chart’s Top 50 and has been performing strongly on blues radio charts internationally, including in France, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
According to Ellis, “Sweet Ice Tea is a hill country blues stomper with a plaintive shout-out to the love of my life — Soul Food! We hope it makes the listener hungry for more songs from my new Labor Of Love album!”
The video for the song was directed by filmmaker Tony Bieser, who previously collaborated with Ellis on the videos for “Too Broke” and “Hoodoo Woman.”
With Labor Of Love, Ellis delivers a raw and self-produced collection of 13 original songs performed with stripped-down intensity. The album explores a range of themes, including floods, fire, voodoo spirits, personal struggles, and spiritual reflection. From the gritty opener “Hoodoo Woman” to the John Lee Hooker-inspired groove of “Long Time,” the Skip James-influenced “To A Hammer,” and the Son House-style stomp of “Sunnyland,” the record highlights Ellis’ deep connection to traditional blues forms while presenting his own modern voice.
Ellis has spent more than four decades on the road, and the experience shows throughout the album’s performances. The songs move between moments of quiet beauty and driving intensity, reflecting both the hardships and joys found throughout the blues tradition.
In support of the album, Ellis continues to tour across the country with his solo acoustic “Two Guitars And A Car” tour. The format allows him to focus on the core elements of blues performance and the expressive possibilities of the acoustic guitar.
“I love doing these shows,” Ellis says, “I can be more expressive and emotional as a solo acoustic artist. I just love the sound of acoustic guitar. I always have.”
For Ellis, the album title reflects his lifelong dedication to the music that shaped him.
“No matter what I play, I like to have an edge,” Ellis says. “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.”
