Award-winning blues rock star, guitar hero and singer-songwriter JOE BONAMASSA is featured in a new interview with Metal Express Radio. An excerpt is available below:

MER: You've got such a strong work ethic and you seem to be on tour constantly. How many shows do you get through a year?

JB: "I think last year with BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION and my solo band it was something like 180 shows last year. We did 6 weeks of shows with Black Country Communion but this year I'll probably only do about 110 to 115 shows. I'm taking most of the summer off this year, so I'll get a bit of a break. To use a baseball analogy, there's only so many pitches in the arm before you start hurting yourself. I'm turning 35 this year so I'm going to pace myself a little more from now on. I don't know how BB King has managed to do it for as many years as he has. He's still out there well into his 80s and still manages to outwork everyone. I don't know how he does it. He's an anomaly and someone I really look up to. I really cherish my association with him."

MER: Each year you tour you play bigger and bigger halls. You started off in the North of England at the Customs House in South Shields, then to the Newcastle City Hall, The Sage, Gateshead and this tour you're playing at the huge Metro Arena. Does it surprise you that a blues artist can make the step up out of the clubs into the arenas in this day and age?

JB: "I think I'm more of a crossover artist. I don't do 100% Blues 100% of the time, so maybe there's something a little different in there that people can relate to and people want to hear. A few years back who would have thought that I'd have been able to sell out the Albert Hall in London? It's amazing, really. I'm very happy that my music over the last seven years has reached a wider audience. Any musician would be lying to you when they started off if they said they didn't want to sell as many records as possible or play to as many people as possible. I've been really honored by all of the success, and it all started in the UK."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

As previously reported, Bonamassa will undertake a major UK arena tour starting today (March 23rd). Dates are as follows:

March

23 - Brighton Centre - Brighton, England
24 - Sheffield Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield, England
25 - Newcastle Metro Arena - Newcastle upon Tyne, England
27 - Edinburgh Usher Hall - Edinburgh, Scotland
28 - Liverpool Echo Arena - Liverpool, England
20 - Bournemouth International Centre - Bournemouth, England
31 - Birmingham National Indoor Arena - Birmingham, England

April

4 - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Scotland

Fresh off a successful European tour with Black Country Communion, and rave reviews of BCC's 2 album, Joe's forthcoming UK solo tour will see him perform material from his current studio album, Dust Bowl, plus songs from his vast catalogue of albums including 'A New Day Yesterday', 'The Ballad of John Henry', 'Sloe Gin' and 'Black Rock'.

Joe's band features Carmine Rojas (bass), Rick Melick (keyboards) and Tal Bergman (drums). Joe will also preview songs from his new studio album, due for release in late May 2012.