NEW ALBUM! This Is Earnest “Guitar” Roy

Music Maker Foundation is excited to announce a new album by Clarksdale blues guitarist Earnest “Guitar” Roy. This Is Earnest “Guitar” Roy releases on the Music Maker label on May 9, 2025.

Born in Clarksdale, MS in 1958, Roy learned to play guitar and bass at age 5 from his father, bluesman Earnest Roy, Sr. of the Clarksdale Rockers. He played his first gig at age 8, and was skilled enough by age 14 that he was invited to become a regular performer on Soul Train – an offer he turned down in order to finish high school. In the 1980s, Roy toured with blues legend Albert King and released a single on the Rooster Blues label. From 1993 to 2001, he played guitar for popular televangelist Rod Parsley before returning to his blues roots in the early 2000s, touring with the likes of Sam Carr across the United States and Australia.

Music Maker co-founder Tim Duffy was introduced to the Clarksdale bluesman in 2024 by Roger Stolle (Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art). Impressed by his skillful playing and dedication to preserving Mississippi’s blues legacy, Music Maker helped Roy secure a reliable car and invited him to be the first artist to record in their newly-opened recording studio in Fountain, NC.

This Is Earnest “Guitar” Roy showcases Roy’s good humor, soulful singing, and skillful playing that gave him the nickname “Guitar.” Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers) and Bruce Watson (Fat Possum Records) served as producers.