Jazz/blues guitarist suggestions for SRV fan.

First off, everyone that "sounds like SRV" to me personally sounds like a rip-off. Anyone who really loves SRV, and who was brought to the altar of the blues guitar by him (as I was in my early teen years) will have to realize that the master is gone and he will never be replaced.

Kenny Wayne Shepard is good, but he needs to grow up a bit and develop his own style.

Try the new Ronnie Earl- i feel like goin' on-- he's dealing with his manic depression, and this sounds better to me than his last 4 albums--

Glad to see a plug for "little" Charlie Baty of Little Charlie and the Nightcats-- Captured live has some amazing work on it. Highly, highly recommended- there's also a "deluxe Edition" best of Lil' Charlie out there that I never leave home without. Baty is, IMHO, in the top 5 living blues guitarists.

Overall I'm amazed how many of my own favorites were already plugged by you guys-- good suggestions all.

Tab Benoit is great, too- especially his recent album with Jimmy Thackery, and Benoit's last solo album Wetlands. If any of y'all find a copy of "strike a deep chord: Blues guitars for the homeless" BUY IT. Benoit does a smokin' version of "nice and warm" and it's followed by a great instrumental piece that was recorded in a big echo-y room with a killer tube guitar amp -- a real hoot on a system that stages. The whole (compilation) album is great-

My other recommendations that may not necessarily sound like SRV, but are great for blues fans in general that like him in my experience:

Kid Ramos, Son Seals, BB King (of course), Junior Watson, Kenny Burrel, Otis Rush

Keep the suggestions coming, guys

There are a lot of great players mentioned here but the only ones that sound like SRV are Duarte and Kenny Wyane Sheppard. There is a Native American blues band Indiginous that nails the SRV thing. Albert King is the source of most of SRV's licks without the volume. THe live disk of the two of them togeather is way cool. Old Master, young lion jamming and BSing. They both know their place but they both seem to have a feeling who is going to rule the pack eventually. Room Full of Blues, Under one Roof has some killer guitar playing where swing mixes with the texas thing backed by a killer horn band.

Piezo... I think you hit it right on the head. SRV did
get most of his stuff from Albert King. Also i did
see Indiginous and the guitar player does sound quite a
bit like Stevie.. I was impressed... His sister wails on
the drums too. Pretty cool stuff. I also agree with you
on Kenny Wayne.. he's alright but just doesnt do it for me.

I just quickly scaned over artist listed on this thread... There's some great ones. The only i can think of that i dont remember seeing is Buddy Guy.

Another vote here for Buddy Guy - you just might end up preferring him to SRV. Ehart - we share similar tastes - Hoodoo Man Blues is wonderful and has some extremely tasty work by Buddy - lovely gems sprinkled throughout a chuggingly all-time great album.

If you want to hear a texas tinged youn-un (at least he was when the cd was released) get a copy of the Ian Moore disc with blue sky on it. Not sure of the name It has a picture of him setting on a super with the band standing around. Great playing and tooo soulful. Buddy used to do it for me but Luther Allison would tear him up if he didn't pass on. Duke Robillard leans to the jazz side but he is killer. Tinsley Ellis, great guy, great showman, great singer, songwriter....way under rated. IMO he smokes ole buddy in a lot of ways too. You just can't lose with those blues.