Blues guitarist takes successful risk

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Oct. 25 (UPI) -- A chart-topping album has showed American blues artist Joe Bonamassa that risks pay off.

The guitarist's seventh solo release, "Sloe Gin," has spent eight weeks atop Billboard magazine's Top Blues Album chart even though it features more singing and a wider array of styles than its predecessors.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained -- you know?" Bonamassa said. "A lot of the blues guys tend to easily put themselves on auto-pilot and milk it for eight or 10 years, eke out a living and put money in the bank.

"If I'm gonna kill myself and play five nights a week and fly all around the world and basically dedicate my entire existence to this thing, I might as well try and do something new and separate myself from the pack."

"Sloe Gin's" title track was originally recorded by actor Tim Curry on his 1978 debut album. The set also includes covers of songs by Bad Company, Charles Brown and Ten Years After.