Tab Benoit is an American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter known for his signature brand of gritty, soulful Delta blues and Cajun-spiced swamp rock. Born in Baton Rouge and raised in Houma, Louisiana, he has spent decades captivating audiences with his raw vocal power—often compared to Otis Redding—and his fiery, effect-free guitar solos played on a beat-up 1972 Fender Telecaster Thinline.
Beyond his heavily decorated musical career, which includes multiple Blues Music Awards and a Louisiana Music Hall of Fame induction, Benoit is a passionate environmental activist. He co-founded the Voice of the Wetlands non-profit organization to fight coastal erosion in his beloved home state.
29 Ways
- The Song: “Twenty Nine Ways (To My Baby’s Door)” is a standout track featured on his acclaimed 1999 album, These Blues Are All Mine.
- The Origin: The song is a high-energy cover originally written by the legendary blues composer Willie Dixon and first recorded by Koko Taylor.
- The Style: Benoit transforms the track into a driving, upbeat swamp-blues shuffle, packing it with his signature percussive guitar riffs and a relentless rhythm.
- The Lyrical Theme: The clever, humorous lyrics outline all the wild and secret paths the singer has devised to sneak over to see their lover—including a trapdoor right under the bed.
- Live Energy: It is a frequent highlight of his highly spontaneous live concerts, where he relies strictly on his fingers and an amplifier rather than any effects pedals to deliver raw emotion.
Benoit continues to tour heavily and release new music, like his latest album I Hear Thunder. His live version of “29 Ways” remains a masterclass in organic, stripped-down guitar showmanship.
If you love pure, pedal-free Louisiana blues, Tab Benoit’s catalog is the perfect place to dive in.