Out now, The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork is a powerful live album and concert film celebrating the music and enduring legacy of Irish guitar legend Rory Gallagher. It is available through J&R Adventures, and captures American blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa’s sold-out tribute performances in Cork, Ireland, where Gallagher’s influence remains woven into the fabric of the city itself.
In celebration of the album’s release, European fans can now enter a special raffle benefiting the Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, with the chance to win a one-of-a-kind signed Rory tribute guitar, only available at RAFFALL.
The centrepiece of the raffle is a Classic Series ’60s Fender Stratocaster™ personally purchased by Bonamassa at Cork’s legendary Crowley’s Music Centre during the 2025 live show celebrations. For Bonamassa, the purchase fulfilled a longtime dream of acquiring a guitar from the same shop where Gallagher himself once bought instruments. The guitar was subsequently signed backstage by Bonamassa, members of the band, Rory Gallagher’s family, producer Kevin Shirley, famed Gallagher bassist Gerry McAvoy and Rory’s own legendary Irish promoter Peter Aiken.
The raffle runs from 9th June through to 20th July, with donations supporting KTBA’s ongoing mission of funding music education and assisting musicians in need. The prize package also includes a Joe-signed copy of the red marble vinyl, a CD/DVD or CD/Blu-ray package, and a $100 merchandise credit to the Joe Bonamassa online store.
As Bonamassa wrote in the project’s liner notes: “What you hear on these recordings is our best effort to pay tribute to Rory Gallagher, a man I never met, but admire so deeply. His music is part of me and I’m grateful that we were able to contribute in some small way to his ongoing legacy.”
Alongside the album release, Bonamassa has most recently unveiled an epic live performance video for the project’s emotional centrepiece, ‘A Million Miles Away (Live)’.
‘A Million Miles Away’ is at the heart of the release, one of Gallagher’s most beloved and emotionally resonant compositions. Originally released on 1973’s Tattoo album and given a legendary extended rendition on the following Irish Tour ’74 album, the song captures themes of loneliness, longing, and emotional distance, pairing poetic imagery with one of Gallagher’s most vulnerable vocal performances. Bonamassa’s DVD bonus features include a special interview with Rory’s brother, Donal, who recounts the story behind the song’s creation and visits the dramatic Irish cliffs whose rugged beauty helped inspire its emotional power.
Bonamassa’s interpretation embraces that emotional core. Filmed in front of a packed Cork audience, the performance unfolds with patience and restraint before building into a soaring guitar statement that reflects both Gallagher’s influence and Bonamassa’s own musical voice. The result serves as a fitting centrepiece for a project built on admiration, respect, and a shared love of the blues.
Recorded with the blessing of Gallagher’s family and performed before passionate hometown audiences, The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork documents what many in attendance described as a once-in-a-lifetime musical event. A lifelong admirer of Gallagher, Bonamassa approached the material with deep reverence, bringing together a band capable of honouring the fire, spontaneity, and emotional honesty that defined Gallagher’s work while allowing the performances to breathe with their own energy.
Rory Gallagher remains one of Ireland’s most beloved musical figures, revered worldwide for a style that fused traditional electric blues with hard rock intensity, Celtic influences, and fearless improvisation. His distinctive guitar tone, expressive slide work, and deeply emotional performances inspired generations of players, including Bonamassa himself. Together, the album and film capture both the scale of Gallagher’s influence and the deep personal connection his music continues to inspire among musicians and fans around the world.
What began as a single tribute concert ultimately grew into a three-night sold-out run in Gallagher’s hometown, with fans travelling from around the world to celebrate the music. The atmosphere throughout the performances was electric, creating what Bonamassa describes as one of the most meaningful experiences of his career.
Across fourteen carefully selected songs, The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork explores the full breadth of Gallagher’s catalogue, from explosive live staples to deeply personal performances. The broader setlist was also inspired in part by the spirit of Gallagher’s legendary Irish Tour ’74 era, which first introduced many listeners, including Bonamassa, to Gallagher’s singular live power.
The project also includes several moments of special historical significance, including Bonamassa’s performance of ‘As The Crow Flies’ on Gallagher’s own 1930 National Triolian resonator guitar, generously loaned by the Cork Public Museum. Additional DVD and Blu-ray bonus features include The Inspiration of Rory, featuring conversations with Brian May and Slash, along with Rory’s Acoustic Guitar and Ballycotton – A Million Miles Away.
Two previous single releases from the album were ‘Bad Penny (Live)’ and ‘Back On My Stompin’ Ground (Live)’.
Originally released in 1979 on Gallagher’s Top Priority album, ‘Bad Penny’ became one of Rory Gallagher’s signature songs, a tough, swaggering blues rock track built around the idea that trouble always has a way of finding its way back around. Over the years, the song became a staple of Gallagher’s live shows, fuelled by its punchy groove, sharp guitar attack, and defiant spirit.
Bonamassa’s version taps directly into that energy. Rather than smooth out the rough edges, the performance leans into the tension and drive that made the original such a fan favourite, with the Cork crowd responding to every turn. The result feels loose, loud, and deeply connected to the spirit of Gallagher’s live performances without slipping into imitation.
The release of ‘Back On My Stompin’ Ground (Live)’ offers a very different side of Gallagher’s catalogue. Originally appearing on his 1973 album Blueprint, the song blended blues, folk, and rock influences into something deeply rooted in place and identity. Written during a period when Gallagher was re-establishing himself creatively after the breakup of Taste, the track carries a strong sense of return and belonging, themes that took on even greater resonance during Bonamassa’s performances in Cork.
That emotional connection comes through clearly in the live recording. Performed in Gallagher’s hometown, the song became one of the most personal moments of the entire set, with Bonamassa and the band allowing the arrangement room to breathe while the audience carried much of the emotional weight alongside them. In many ways, it reflects the larger spirit of the project itself: musicians returning to the music and legacy that shaped them.
‘Tattoo’d Lady (Live)’ also came out as a single. Originally released on Gallagher’s 1973 album Tattoo, it is one of his defining early compositions, a raw, autobiographical portrait of life on the road, shaped by long nights, constant travel, and the push-and-pull between freedom and isolation. Built around a loose, swaggering groove and sharp lyrical detail, the song reflects a more intimate side of Gallagher’s writing, balancing humour and weariness with a sense of restless motion.
Rather than reshape the song, Bonamassa leans into its narrative core, allowing the performance to unfold with the same unfiltered energy that defined Gallagher’s original recordings. The Cork audience, deeply connected to the material, responds in kind, giving the track a lived-in feel that goes beyond a straightforward cover.
For Bonamassa, songs like ‘Tattoo’d Lady’ were central to understanding Gallagher’s range as both a guitarist and a storyteller. While much of Gallagher’s reputation rests on his explosive live playing, tracks like this reveal the observational detail and personality that made his catalogue endure.
Joe Bonamassa continues to honour his influences. The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork follows speedily on from B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100, an expansive 32-song tribute starring over 40 special guests, curated and produced by Bonamassa in celebration of B.B. King’s 100th birthday, and also available via Bonamassa’s KTBA Records.
At the centre of the completed album was ‘The Thrill Is Gone’, featuring Eric Clapton and Chaka Khan. One of the most iconic recordings in the blues canon, the song represented both an opportunity and a responsibility. From the outset, Bonamassa and co-producer Josh Smith approached the track with a singular focus: honour the weight of the original by giving the artists the space, support, and trust to deliver it honestly.
“You can’t do a B.B. King tribute record and not do ‘The Thrill Is Gone,'” Bonamassa said. “It’s such an iconic song, and it’s a big ask.” When it came time to record it, there was no room for compromise. “For Eric Clapton and Chaka Khan doing ‘The Thrill Is Gone’, we used real strings, real horns. The budget was whatever it cost, because you only get one chance to do this correctly. And I think we nailed it.”
Rather than assembling a traditional compilation, Bonamassa and Smith built the album from the ground up, recording core tracks first and then inviting artists to step into songs that carried personal meaning for them. “We weren’t making sound-alikes,” Bonamassa notes. “We played it in the spirit of B.B. King, but we did our own versions.”
B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 is available now on all digital platforms, as well as in physical formats including a double CD and a 180-gram triple LP vinyl edition. Proceeds from the project support the Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation, extending King’s legacy through education, preservation, and direct support for musicians.
