JUST BE THANKFUL - CHRIS CAIN

Blues Matters had the pleasure of interviewing the illustrious Chris Cain, a virtuoso of blues guitar whose soulful performances and masterful musicianship have captivated audiences worldwide. With a career spanning over four decades, Chris has earned a reputation for his emotive playing, rich vocals, and a style that seamlessly blends the roots of traditional blues with contemporary influences. We chat about his musical journey, inspirations and influences behind his music and much more besides. He has a new release, Good Intentions Gone Bad, we also talk about that.

WORDS: Colin Campbell PICS: Laura Carbone

Chris Cain’s music career began with his father’s influence, as he outlines: “My father had all the great records,” he recalls, mentioning artists like B.B. King and Ray Charles. They attended concerts in San Jose annually, which ignited his love for music. At eight, his father taught him guitar, starting with “Baby Please Don’t Go.” This early exposure to music and hands-on experience with the guitar sparked his musical journey:

“That was really the start, my dad and his records and his guitar. His musical roots trace back to his family, particularly his dad. Although his dad was a truck driver, his passion for blues led him to buy a guitar and teach himself a set of tunes. “On Sunday, he would put his tie on and play his set in the garage.”

His mother also nurtured his musical interests, taking him to see the Beatles on a school day. Chris acknowledges, “They were more apt to take me to see something musical than just about anything else. Of all his records and just the things that he took me to see... it was wonderful for me.”

His dad even arranged for him to watch concerts from the light booth, enhancing his appreciation for live music. Initially, the outings were exciting for the promise of pancakes afterward, but eventually, he fell in love with the musicians and their performances. His musical journey felt natural. “It was really the only thing that I really could figure out, and I gravitated to that strongly.” He describes being “under the spell” of music, spending every day after school playing along to records and practicing solos on his guitar, cementing his path as a musician.

“If somebody tells you they like your music, you just say thank you.” He struggled with accepting compliments as a child but found this guidance invaluable. He describes playing guitar as therapeutic; “I just love the process of figuring out how to play the guitar.” For him, it was an immersive experience: “The whole day would just go by, I wouldn’t even really notice I loved it that much.”

His first band was the Chris Cain Band, formed in 1987 when he released, Late Night City Blues. He recalls: “That was the first band I had, and we went and travelled around the world.” Transitioning from playing guitar alone in his room to touring was a significant change: “It was like the adult dose for sure for me.” Initially, his goal was modest: “I made the record, just so I could get dates around the town that I lived in, San Jose.” However, the project quickly gained momentum: “Next thing you know, we were in Memphis then were in Belgium.” The early days were a learning experience. “I did everything wrong you could possibly do at first,” he admits. He was so focused on his music that he often played with his eyes closed, missing the opportunity to connect with his audience: “I would just play with my eyes closed, I wasn’t even really connecting with the audience.” It took him about ten years to realise the importance of interacting with the crowd; “It would be better, but it was just all trial and error with me at first.” Despite the initial challenges, he found the experience “beautiful” and “wonderful.”

microphone’ about him. King’s encouragement and presence at Kane’s gigs in Memphis made Kane feel special, calling it: “The greatest thing that could ever happen to me. One time I was playing at Memphis in May, and he came to the gig. I didn’t know he was coming, but he came up on the stage and he sat down on the Twin Reverb I was playing through. I turned around and I saw him, and I put my guitar down, I hugged him, we took pictures and just had a wonderful day that day. It was beautiful by the river, and he had a Lincoln Continental!”

When Albert King came to the States, Chris found it invaluable; ‘Just knowledge and learning on the job.’ He admired King’s guitar sound, attending his performances for three consecutive days at the Bodega in San Jose. he recalls, “By the third day I lost my voice for like about a month, just sitting in front of his amp screaming.” Chris fondly remembers B.B. King: “He would just come up and talk to you and look you right in the face like you were a grown person.” Chris was struck by King’s guitar sound, calling it ‘something very special and unbelievable.’

King’s demeanour left an impression: “He was never really surly or grumpy. He was always kind and sweet to people. One time he played a slow blues and there were tears coming down his cheeks. It took my breath away because I knew that it made me feel a certain feeling when I heard him play the guitar like that. I had no idea how deep he went when he played that thing. It was something I’ll never forget seeing him crying like that and playing this beautiful stuff. I mean, he took my breath away, if blues is a feeling, then that’s it, isn’t it? My father would tell me, ‘No, baby, if you feel it, play it. But if you don’t feel it, don’t do it.’” He embraced this approach, going ‘all in’ when playing music. Chris believes ‘it was some really great advice.’

Good Intentions Gone Bad

We discussed his newest release his sixteenth album, Good Intentions Gone Bad. Chris continues; “The fact that it’s ever come to sixteen different records is almost mind-boggling to me because it doesn’t seem like I’ve been alive that long.” He’s excited about his new record with Alligator Records, feeling blessed for their support; “I really feel like it’s a blessing that they like what I do, and they let me do it on that label.” He appreciates the tour and label support he’s receiving, calling it “fantastic” to have people interested in his work.” Chris praises Greaseland Studios and producer Kid Andersen; “It was recorded at Greaseland and produced by Kid Andersen.

That place is like if Stax and the Smithsonian got together and made a studio. He knows how to record you so that it sounds like what you want it to sound like.” Andersen’s creativity and encouragement have been invaluable; “He comes up with ideas when I’m just empty, he’s really wonderful.” Chris values the studio’s environment; “I’ve had some of my greatest recording experiences in that building.” Andersen’s feedback is crucial; “I gauge it on his response, he’s my barometer. If he’s getting into it, then I know it’s happening.”

Songwriting Process

“Sometimes when I’m not getting ready to make a record, ideas just come, and I just get them in a jar before they get away from me.” He collects ideas and later sorts out which ones are strong for songs. Initially, he improvised music and lyrics, but sometimes verses would come to him naturally. He values capturing ideas when they appear; “It’s a fleeting process, ideas come and go.” He appreciates the eclectic sound of his latest album, noting, “These ideas just started coming to me, I just try to capture whatever the idea is. The whole album is quite upbeat. I tried to get some up-tempo ones in there!”

Track Talk

Blues For My Dad: “This is a very personal song and at first, I did not want to do it. But Kid persuaded me. After changing the demo and listening back to it, I cried. He took this song all the way to the finishing line. It’s about more than my dad’s guitar, one of the hardest songs I’ve written.”

Too Little Too Late: “When I write tunes and they don’t work out on a record or something, I’ll keep the ideas in these folders. I needed some up-tempo tunes on this thing because all these people were passing away at this point in my life, and so everything I was writing was kind of gloomy! when I was writing tunes for my record, Late Night City Blues, I had this idea, and I had the first couple of verses, and so then I was stuck. So, I took it to Kid, and he liked it. We went ahead and finished it up, and I’m happy that we did!”

Chris on Tour

Chris expressed his enthusiasm for visiting the UK; “I would love that, that’s one of the places where many of the people that I end up loving musically were from, like Chicken Shack, Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown, and the Keef Hartley Band that influenced me and blew my mind.”