Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers

A rocker of a bluesman, Jimmy Thackery ranks as one of the most electrifying guitarists on the scene today. Counting Buddy Guy, Otis Rush and Jimi Hendrix as the most profound influences on his gritty, tough-as-nails approach, Thackery pulls few punches onstage or in the studio. He can scream one moment and be subtly soothing the next, coloring his solos with sweeping neck slides and machine-gun bursts of chaotic intensity. In his younger years, Thackery cut his teeth as a fourteen-year member of the D.C.-based Nighthawks before striking out in a new direction with his R&B outfit the Assassins. In the early ’90s, Thackery brought together the Drivers, a stripped-down backing band that not only allowed him to get back to his blues roots but also incorporated a healthy dose of jump ‘n’ jive and rock into his act. This move solidified his presence on the national scene over the past decade, and it should also keep him on the high end of the blues circuit for years to come.