Biography

Phil has shared the stage with these great artists:

Junior Brown, Popa Chubby, Elvis Costello, Jim Carroll, Allen Ginsberg, John Sinclair, RL Boyce (Grammy nominee), “Little Joe” Ayers, Jad Wio, Robert Kimbrough Sr., Lydia Lunch, The Tubes, New Order, REM, Pere Ubu, The Cure, Gun Club, Chris Whitley, Charles Pasi, and others.

One sentence bio: Phil Gammage is the consummate live performer, songwriter, singer, guitarist, harmonica player, and producer who brings a unique depth and drama to music, playing original roots and Americana songs. His latest album Redeemed (2024) follows his 2021 release From Nowhere to Somewhere.

Phil Gammage performing solo.
Phil Gammage performing solo.

Short bio: Phil Gammage is a New York-based roots and Americana musician, songwriter, and recording artist best known for his eight solo album releases and his work as a songwriter, singer, harmonica player, guitarist, and producer. His latest album Redeemed (2024) follows his 2021 release From Nowhere to Somewhere. In a decade of rewarding recording activity, the Texas native also released the albums It’s All Real Good (2019), Used Man For Sale (2016), Booze, Blues, and New Tattoos (2015), and Adventures in Bluesland in 2014. He currently performs as a solo performer (2019 European solo tour) or with his full band. He has performed recently at such noted events as the Lancaster Roots and Blues Festival, Porch Stomp!, CBGB Festival, and BluesCraft Summer Festival. Phil Gammage is the consummate live performer, who brings a unique depth and drama to his music.

Phil Gammage est un musicien de roots et de blues basé à New York, auteur-compositeur et artiste du disque, surtout connu pour ses huit albums en solo et son travail d’auteur-compositeur, de chanteur, d’harmoniciste et de guitariste. Le dernier album du natif du Texas est le single Just Another Traveling Man (2021), qui fait suite à son album It’s All Real Good (automne 2019), acclamé par la critique. Il fait suite à ses albums Used Man For Sale en 2016 et Adventures in Bluesland en 2014. Il se produit actuellement en solo (tournée européenne en solo en 2018) ou avec son groupe The Phil Gammage Quartet. Il s’est récemment produit lors d’événements de renom tels que le Lancaster Roots and Blues Festival, le CBGB Festival et le BluesCraft Summer Festival. Phil Gammage est l’interprète en direct par excellence, qui apporte une profondeur et un drame uniques à sa musique.

Full (long) bio: Phil Gammage’s style of roots and blues influenced music has been compared to everyone from Roy Orbison to Johnny Cash to Tom Waits — or as the Trouser Press once wrote about Phil’s music

“…underwrought darkside Americana echoing Nick Cave’s fascinations minus the melodrama. Which might well make Gammage this generation’s Hank Williams.”
Trouser Press

Nine solo albums and numerous songs featured in television shows and commercials have earned Phil a growing following and a steady hum of praise. His latest album Redeemed (2024) follows his 2021 release From Nowhere to Somewhere. As on all of his recordings, it features Phil singing, playing guitar, writing songs, and playing the harmonica.

In a decade of fruitful recording activity, the Texas native released the albums It’s All Real Good (2019), Used Man For Sale (2016), The Booze, Blues, and New Tattoos (2015), and Adventures in Bluesland (2014).

Robert Ross, from Popdose wrote about Phil’s Adventures in Bluesland “…a great/pleasant surprise. Adventures In Bluesland is not so much an adventure but a pleasurable listening trip.”

And Iman Lababedi at Rock NYC and Recorded wrote “This is pure artistry and alive pop art: it covers the bases. And it is New York, watching the traffic flow in a true blues greatness.”

On stage in Honfleur, France. Spring European tour 2016.
On stage in Honfleur, France. Spring European tour 2016.

Originally from the musically rich gulf coast city of Houston, Texas, Gammage began his solo recording career in Europe releasing two acclaimed solo albums Night Train and Kneel to the Rising Sun in the 1990’s on France’s influential New Rose Records (Alex Chilton, Gun Club, Alejandro Escovedo, The Replacements, Calvin Russell). In the years before the music genre term, “Americana” was even being used, these albums explored the blues, country, and folk music genres. By paying tribute to these styles through his own songwriting, Gammage gave his music a fresh and unique sound. Subsequent albums appeared on American and European labels into the 2000’s including Cry of the City on Alive Natural/Marilyn Records (The Black Keys, Left Lane Cruiser). Phil returned to recording in 2014 with his Adventures in Bluesland album.

Phil Gammage on stage with Felice Rosser. B.B. King Blues Club, New York, NY. Photo by Lynn Cappiello.
Phil Gammage on stage with Felice Rosser.
B.B. King Blues Club, New York, NY.
Photo by Lynn Cappiello.

He currently performs his roots and blues based music as a solo performer (2018 European solo tour) or with his full band.

In addition to his songwriting and performing roots music, Phil is an in-demand blues/rock guitarist and harmonica player. He has performed recently at such noted concerts as the Lancaster (PA.) Roots & Blues Festival, CBGB Festival, Cosmic Blues Festival, Porch Stomp Festival, and the BluesCraft Summer Festival. In addition Phil has performed live on the streaming programs American Highways “Live From the Quarantine”, ArtFlow Live, and Porch Stomp Songwriters In The Round.

Phil Gammage is the consummate live performer, lyricist, singer, guitarist, harmonica player, and music producer who brings a unique depth and drama to music.

Paris, France.
Paris, France.