Born in Glendale in 1942 and raised in Iowa and Oklahoma, Elvin Bishop discovered the blues through late‑night radio. A National Merit Scholarship brought him to the University of Chicago, where he immersed himself in the South Side scene and learned from Little Smokey Smothers. He later formed The Paul Butterfield Blues Band with Paul Butterfield, helping introduce electric Chicago blues to rock audiences.

By the late 60s he moved to San Francisco, jamming at the Fillmore with Hendrix, Clapton and B.B. King before launching a solo career that produced hits like “Travelin’ Shoes” and “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.” His later Alligator releases reaffirmed his blues roots. His music has appeared in film and TV, and he has been honored with Grammy performances and Rock Hall nominations.

Elvin Bishop’s latest release, Can’t Even Do Wrong Right, opens with a funny tale of a hapless criminal, delivered in Bishop’s warm, down‑home style and powered by his unmistakable slide guitar. The track reflects the Chicago Sun‑Times’ claim that “it’s impossible not to like Bishop,” and the album captures his loose, lively, good‑humored energy with a band that sounds both relaxed and razor sharp.

With cover art by Paul Thorn and five Bishop originals, the album finds him fully in his groove. Mickey Thomas sings lead on “Let Your Woman Have Her Way,” his first recording with Bishop since “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.” Bishop also offers a soulful instrumental version of Jimmy Reed’s “Honest I Do” the first blues song he remembers hearing on Nashville’s WLAC, the powerful R&B station that reached his Oklahoma home. Charlie Musselwhite adds punch to “Old School” and “No More Doggin’.”

More than 50 years after his first gig with Junior Wells and his breakthrough with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Bishop remains vibrant and inventive. His music blends thick blues grooves with rock, country touches and sly humor, shaped by his Northern California ease. His guitar work keeps deepening, and his songwriting mixes wit with homespun wisdom.

With Can’t Even Do Wrong Right, Bishop continues delivering joyful, good‑time blues fueled by guitar fire, humor and irresistible charm.