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Danny Click has been called an "unsung guitar hero" -- the good news is, that's about to change. After several years as lead guitarist for Texas-based singer/songwriter Jimmy LaFave, Click is stepping out as a solo artist. That means the many fans who've been awe-struck by Click's incendiary solos with LaFave will get a chance to hear the full range of what this Austin, Texas-based roots-rocker can do. (This is the guy who blew away thousands at last summer's Kate Wolf and Strawberry Festivals here in Northern California.) And it's quite a show. Whether letting his soulful voice soar on a gospel-inflected ballad or raging over the fretboard on a blues riff, Click gives it all he's got. His guitar playing has been compared to the best of the best: Lowell George, Duane Allman, David Lindley, and of course fellow Austinite Stevie Ray Vaughan. His singing and songwriting are equally compelling, calling to mind Chris Whitley and John Mellencamp. Thoroughly grounded in the sweat and struggle of heartland America, Click's songs touch on themes of loneliness, heartache, and - ultimately - redemption. The San Jose Mercury's Mark Whittington recently singled out Click's "killer slide guitar," "easy vocal style" and "haunting" delivery in a rave review of Click's latest record, Elvis the Dog (DogStar, 2003). A favorite in Europe, Click has toured Italy, Switzerland, and England in recent years, and headlined last fall's Blues to Bop festival in Lugano playing to more than 7,000 people. Now those of us closer to home have a chance to get in on this well-kept secret. His recent summer tour of California was a huge success, garnering him legions of new fans. Prepare to remember his name.
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