World-renowned Atlanta-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Tinsley Ellis will celebrate the release of his first-ever solo acoustic album, Naked Truth, with a live solo acoustic performance at the Musikfest Café in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 6, 2024. Naked Truth, on Alligator Records, is steeped in the folk blues traditions of Muddy Waters, Skip James, Son House, Robert Johnson and even Leo Kottke. To the casual fan, this might seem to be a new direction for Ellis, known for his blistering electric guitar work, but for Ellis, it’s an extension of his music, as he taps into the raw essence of the blues. “This is a record I’ve always wanted to make, and one that my longtime fans have been asking for,” he says. Since his first Alligator album in 1988, Georgia Blue, Ellis has gone from local Atlanta club favorite to become an internationally touring blues rock giant, performing hundreds of nights per year. Mega-star guitarist Joe Bonamassa calls Ellis “a national treasure.” Upon release, Naked Truth debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart.