Buffalo Nichols - "You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond"

Photo by Samer Ghani

I first became a Buffalo Nichols fan after seeing him open for Drive-By Truckers. Not many people could keep DBT fans entertained with just a guitar, but Nichols pulled it off. His 2021 self-titled album solidified my fandom, and now he's back with new music. "You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond" continues his classic blues sound, but adds in a little experimentation. If it was just a straightforward blues song, it would be a spectacular blues song. But Nichols adds in samples of Charley Patton's version of the song, making a timeless classic as modern as it could be. This is a truly unique take on modern blues that still sounds like the most classic version of the genre as possible. Is there another artist that could have pulled this off?

Buffalo Nichols says of his new song:

“A traditional song made modern. Which aspects of ‘the Blues’ are essential? Is it a melody? A certain vocabulary? Delivery? Instrumentation? Is this still a blues song? And most importantly: who gets to decide? I tried to reimagine the blues with this song as if it were allowed to grow and progress uninterrupted, uncolonized and ungentrified."

You can watch the video for "You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond" below. The Fatalist is due out September 15 on Fat Possum Records. For more on Buffalo Nichols, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

06/09 - Flagstaff, AZ - Flagstaff Blues Fest

06/10 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress

06/11 - Phoenix, AZ - Rebel Lounge

06/15 - Philadelphia, PA - Milkboy

06/16 - Philadelphia, PA - WXPN Free at Noon

06/16 - Monkton, MD - The Loft at Manor Mill

06/17 - Bowie, MD - Juneteenth Jubilee

06/17 - Columbia, MD - Columbia Fest for the Arts

06/18 - Berryville, VA - Barns of Rose Hill

06/19 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe

06/23 - Des Moines, IA - Des Moines Arts Festival

06/24 - Madison, WI - Memorial Union Terrace at Univ of Wisconsin

06/29 - Hamilton, OH - Riversedge Amphitheater

06/30 - Memphis, TN - Overton Park

07/06-08 - Winnipeg, MB - Winnipeg Folk Fest

07/20 - San Francisco, CA - SF Jazz Summer Fest

07/21-22 - Marquette, MI - Hiawatha Music Festival

07/27-30 - Calgary, AB - Calgary Folk Fest

08/10 - Fort Collins, CO - Bohemian Foundation

08/12 - Cheyenne, WY - Cheyenne Arts Celebration

08/18 - Roxbury, NY - Roxbury ARts Center

08/19 - Portsmouth, NH - The Music Hall - Live Under the Arch Series

08/24-27 - Tønder, DK - Tønder Festival

08/28 - London, UK - Rough Trade East

09/06 - Bloomington, IN - The Bishop

09/07 - Newport, KY - Southgate House

09/08 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar

09/09 - Bowling Green. OH - Black Swamp Arts Festival

09/14 - Denver, CO - Levitt Pavilion

09/15-17 - Telluride Blues & Brews

09/20 - Elkton, MD - Elkton Music Hall

09/21 - Southampton, PA - Stone Turtle House Concert

09/22 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge

09/23 - New Haven, CT - Cafe Nine

09/24 - North Adams, MA - Freshgrass

10/05 - Madison, WI - High Noon

10/06 - Chicago, IL - Sleeping Village

10/07 - Minneapolis, MN - Turf Club

10/12 - Grand Rapids, MI - Midtown

10/13 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern

10/14 - Jackson, MI - Jackson Symphony Orchestra

10/15 - Columbus, OH - Rumba Cafe - WCBE Happy Hour

10/18 - Buffalo, NY - Buffalo Iron Works

10/19 - Rochester, NY - Abilene Bar & Lounge

10/20 - Providence, RI - Askew

10/21 - Portland, ME - One Longfellow

10/22 - Waterbury Center, VT - Zenbarn

11/10 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall

11/13 - Seattle, WA - Sunset Tavern

11/14 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios

11/15 - Eugene, OR - Hult Center

11/16 - Grass Valley, CA - Grass Valley Center for the Arts

11/17 - Livermore, CA - Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center

11/18 - Los Angeles, CA - Gold Diggers

11/29 - Charlotte, NC - Snug Harbor

11/30 - Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle

12/01 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl

12/02 - Nashville, TN - Blue Room

12/03 - Memphis, TN - B-Side / Folk All Y'all

12/05 - Little Rock, AR - White Water Tavern

12/06 - Dallas, TX - Sundown at Granada

12/07 - San Antonio, TX - Sam’s Burger Joint

12/08 - Austin, TX - Antone’s

12/09 - Houston, TX - Continental Club

12/15 - Waverly, AL - Standard Deluxe

12/16 - Macon, GA - Society Garden