Celebrated bluesman brings fire and soul to his boldest record yet
Blues powerhouse Larry McCray is set to release his much-anticipated new album Heartbreak City on June 13, 2025 via KTBA Records, the label founded by Joe Bonamassa. To mark the announcement, McCray has unveiled the album’s lead single, “Bye Bye Blues”, a finger-snapping, soul-drenched track that channels the timeless sounds of Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Bland, and Little Milton with a fresh, funky twist.
A New Chapter for a Blues Legend
Produced by Grammy-nominated duo Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith, Heartbreak City captures McCray at the very peak of his artistic powers. Blending raw blues with vintage soul, Southern grit, and hard-won joy, the ten-track album boasts contributions from Reese Wynans, Kirk Fletcher, and backing vocalists Jade Macrae and Dannielle De Andrea, with Bonamassa also adding guest guitar.
Recorded at the iconic Sunset Sound in Hollywood and mixed by Alan Hertz, Heartbreak City delivers powerful reflections on resilience, redemption, and living life on your own terms.
“I feel like this album captures all the different sides of who I am,” says McCray. “It’s soul, it’s blues, it’s truth. It’s everything I’ve lived.”
Carrying the Torch Forward
Following his acclaimed 2022 album Blues Without You, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Blues chart and was crowned #1 Blues Album of the Year by Blues Rock Review, McCray returns with an album that is even more fearless and self-assured.
His journey from Smackover, Arkansas to Saginaw, Michigan laid the foundation for a career that would see him merge deep blues traditions with the fire of Hendrix and the grooves of the Allman Brothers. Along the way, he has toured with giants like B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Albert King.
In 2024, McCray’s impact was formally recognised with his induction into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
“Larry McCray is a legend,” says Joe Bonamassa. “He is the last of the great blues shouters from the Rust Belt. In the spirit of BB King, Luther Allison, and Little Milton, Larry is among the greats.”
Heartbreak City: A Record of Grit, Groove, and Soul
With Heartbreak City, Larry McCray offers a new collection that reclaims and reframes the blues for a new generation, all while paying homage to the roads he has travelled.
Heartbreak City is available to pre-save now and releases worldwide on June 13, 2025.
