>>MY NAME IS JOE BONAMASSA AND I WAS BORN MAY 8TH, 1977 IN HARTFORD, NEW YORK.

MY FATHER WAS A MUSICIAN AND YOU KNOW, THERE WAS ALWAYS MUSIC AROUND THE HOUSE.

I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS FOUR, LIKE REALLY TAKING AN INTEREST IN IT AND UH, MY DAD WOULD SIT ME DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, PLAY ME RECORDS.

HE BROUGHT HOME ONE DAY, THE VIDEO CASSETTE; FAREWELL CREAM CONCERT, RECORDED AT THE ALBERT HALL.

AND I REMEMBER SO CLEARLY, WATCHING EVERYTHING THAT ERIC CLAPTON PLAYED.

AND GOING, I DON'T WHAT THAT IS, BUT THAT'S REALLY COOL.

I ASKED MY PARENTS FOR A GUITAR.

AND I WOULD SIT IN MY ROOM FOR HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS AND MY PARENTS WOULD HAVE TO KICK ME OUT...GO OUTSIDE PLAY BASKETBALL.

GO RIDE YOUR BIKE.

DO SOMETHING AND GET SOME EXERCISE, CAUSE I WOULD JUST BE FIXATED ON TRYING TO RECREATE THE SOUNDS.

I MADE THE DECISION RIGHT THEN AND THERE.

I SAID, "THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

I DON'T WANT A REAL JOB, I WANT TO BE A GUITAR PLAYER AND I WANT TO PLAY THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL."

>>THIS HAS BEEN TWENTY YEARS IN THE MAKING AND THIS IS SORT OF NOT GRADUATION, BUT ACCUMULATION OF, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE YEARS OF HARD WORK AND, YOU KNOW, DAY AFTER DAY...

SO WE'RE ALL VERY EXCITED.

>> HE'S BEEN PERFORMING FOR OTHER PEOPLE SINCE HE'S BEEN FIVE YEARS OLD.

HE HAS MORE MILES ON A GUITAR THAN MOST SIXTY YEAR OLDS THAT HAVE PLAYED ALL THEIR LIFE.

DJANGO (INSTRUMENTAL) >>SO HERE WE ARE AT AGE THIRTY-TWO AND TWENTY YEARS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS PROFESSIONALLY AND I'M ABOUT TO DO THIS.

IT'S AS DAUNTING AS IT IS EXCITING AND IT'S AS SCARED AS I'VE BEEN.

REALLY.

BECAUSE YOU CAN ONLY GET ONE SHOT AT IT TO MAKE IT RIGHT.

AND I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE IT RIGHT.

DJANGO (INSTRUMENTAL) ♪ WHO KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ IN THE BATTLE OF SINNERS AND SAINTS ♪ ♪ WHO KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ IN THE BATTLE OF SINNERS AND SAINTS ♪ ♪ TAKE THIS HAMMER CARRY IT TO THE CAPTAIN, ♪ ♪ TELL HIM WHY I'M GONE ♪ TAKE THIS HAMMER CARRY IT TO THE CAPTAIN, ♪ ♪ TELL HIM I'M GOIN' HOME ♪ I DON'T WANT YOUR COLD IRON SHACKLES AROUND MY LEG ♪ ♪ I DON'T WANT YOUR COLD IRON SHACKLES AROUND MY LEG ♪ ♪ WHO KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ IN THE BATTLE OF SINNERS AND SAINTS ♪ ♪ WHO KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ IN THE BATTLE OF SINNERS AND SAINTS ♪ ♪ I'M A LONG WAY FROM COLORADO, ♪ ♪ A LONG WAY FROM MY HOME... ♪ GET ME THE HAMMER THAT KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ ♪ WON'T KILL ME NO MORE ♪ GIMME THE HAMMER THAT KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ ♪ COS IT WON'T KILL ME ♪ GIMME THE HAMMER THAT KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ ♪ COS IT WON'T KILL ME ♪ WHO KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ IN THE BATTLE OF SINNERS AND SAINTS ♪ ♪ WHO KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ IN THE BATTLE OF SINNERS AND SAINTS ♪ ♪ TAKE THIS HAMMER CARRY IT TO THE CAPTAIN, ♪ ♪ TELL HIM WHY I'M GONE ♪ TAKE THIS HAMMER CARRY IT TO THE CAPTAIN, ♪ ♪ TELL HIM I'M GOIN' HOME ♪ I'M A WANTED MAN IN THE SHACKLES ♪ ♪ I'M A WANTED MAN WITH THE CAPTAIN ♪ ♪ I'M A WANTED MAN IN THE SHACKLES ♪ ♪ I'M A WANTED MAN ..... ♪ WHO KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ IN THE BATTLE OF SINNERS AND SAINTS ♪ ♪ WHO KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ IN THE BATTLE OF SINNERS AND SAINTS ♪ ♪ I KILLED JOHN HENRY, ♪ IN THE BATTLE OF SINNERS AND SAINTS ♪ GOOD EVENING, LONDON!

♪ TELL ME HOW HIGH, COTTON HAS TO GROW ♪ ♪ TELL ME HOW HIGH, COTTON HAS TO GROW ♪ ♪ 'FORE YOU GET A MAN WITH A RUSTY BLADE AND A HOE ♪ ♪ TELL ME WHO'S THAT ON, WHEN I CAN GET NO RIDE ♪ ♪ TELL ME WHO'S THAT ON, WHEN I CAN GET NO RIDE ♪ ♪ THAT'S WHY I GET ANTSY , AND STEAL A KISS BEFORE I DIE ♪ ♪ I'VE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, STOOD UP, ♪ ♪ ALL IN THE NAME OF GOODBYE'S ♪ ♪ I'VE BEEN TORN DOWN, BEAT UP, ♪ ♪ ALL IN THE NAME OF GOODBYE'S ♪ ♪ AND I DON'T MIND STEALING THE LAST KISS BEFORE I DIE ♪ ♪ TELL ME HOW LONG, SUPPOSED TO KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN ♪ ♪ TELL ME HOW LONG, SUPPOSED TO KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN ♪ ♪ 'FORE HE PACKS HIS SUITCASE, AND GET'S THE HELL OUTTA TOWN ♪ ♪ NOW THAT I'M GONE, WHO'S GONNA WORK THE LAND ♪ ♪ NOW THAT I'M GONE, WHO'S GONNA WORK THE LAND ♪ ♪ JUST TO MAKE SURE THIS, DIRT DON'T TURN INTO SAND ♪ ♪ I'VE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, STOOD UP, ♪ ♪ ALL IN THE NAME OF GOODBYE'S ♪ ♪ I'VE BEEN TORN DOWN, BEAT UP, ♪ ♪ ALL IN THE NAME OF GOODBYE'S ♪ ♪ AND I DON'T MIND STEALING THE LAST KISS BEFORE I DIE ♪ ♪ I'VE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, STOOD UP, ♪ ♪ ALL IN THE NAME OF GOODBYE'S ♪ ♪ I'VE BEEN TORN DOWN, BEAT UP, ♪ ♪ ALL IN THE NAME OF GOODBYE'S ♪ AND I DON'T MIND STEALING THE LAST KISS BEFORE I DIE ♪ ♪ AND I DON'T MIND STEALING THE LAST KISS BEFORE I DIE ♪ ♪ AND I DON'T MIND STEALING THE LAST KISS BEFORE I DIE ♪ WHEN I LOOK BACK AT MY LIFE, I'VE BEEN EXTRODINARILY LUCKY.

THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE REALLY INFLUENCED MY LIFE IN A POSITIVE WAY.

I MET BB KING RIGHT BEFORE MY 12TH BIRTHDAY.

AND WHEN YOU'RE 11 YEARS OLD, YOU'RE PUDGY, YOU'RE WHITE AND YOU PLAY BLUES, YOU TEND TO DRAW A CROWD.

CURIOSITY SEEKERS MOSTLY.

WE GOT A CALL FROM A PROMOTER... WILL JOE OPEN UP FOR BB KING?

FANTASTIC!

AND LUCKILY IT WAS ON A SATURDAY, BECAUSE MOM WOULDN'T LET BE PLAY BUT ON FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS.

AGAIN, I WAS IN LIKE 7TH GRADE, SO I GOT TO PLAY WITH BB KING.

I GOT TO OPEN FOR HIM.

AND WE WERE PLAYING IN FRONT OF 5000 PEOPLE.

I'LL NEVER FORGET, I JUST WALKED OUT THERE AND I WAS A LITTLE HAM, BECAUSE I HAD THE GUITAR BEHIND MY BACK, I WAS DOING ALL KINDS OF REALLY STRANGE STAGE MOVES AT THE TIME, AND I ACTUALLY CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF BB KING WATCHING ME OKAY.

SO, HE TOOK AN INTEREST IN WHAT I WAS DOING AND INVITED ME OUT FOR SOME MORE SHOWS THAT SUMMER.

>>PEOPLE THINK, OH YES, HE'S A GIFTED GUITAR PLAYER.

WELL YES, HE'S GIFTED, BUT PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG AND HOW MANY HOURS HE HAS PUT IN ON A GUITAR PRACTICING WHAT HE DOES.

IT'S A COMBINATION OF GOD'S GIFT AND HIS WORK ETHICS.

AND THAT'S WHY HE'S AT ROYAL ALBERT HALL.

♪ ALL THAT I HAVE, IS ALL THAT YOU'VE GIVEN ME ♪ ♪ DID YOU NEVER WORRY, THAT I'D COME TO DEPEND ON YOU ♪ ♪ I GAVE YOU ALL MY LOVE, THAT I HAD IN ME ♪ ♪ NOW THAT I'VE FOUND YOU LIED, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S TRUE ♪ ♪ WRAPPED IN HIS ARMS, I SEE YOU ACROSS THE STREET ♪ ♪ I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER, IF HE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON ♪ ♪ YOU TALK ABOUT THAT LOVE, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT FEELS ♪ ♪ WHEN YOU REALISE, THAT YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE ♪ ♪ YOU'D BETTER STOP, BEFORE YOU TEAR ME ALL APART ♪ ♪ YOU'D BETTER STOP, BEFORE YOU BREAK MY LONELY HEART ♪ ♪ OH WHOA, YOU'D BETTER STOP ... ♪ ♪ TIME AFTER TIME, I'VE TRIED TO WALK AWAY ♪ ♪ BUT IT'S NOT THAT EASY, WHEN YOUR SOUL IS TORN IN TWO ♪ ♪ SO I RESIGN MYSELF, TO IT EVERY DAY ♪ ♪ NOW ALL I CAN DO, IS LEAVE IT UP TO YOU ♪ ♪ YOU'D BETTER STOP, BEFORE YOU TEAR ME ALL APART ♪ ♪ YOU'D BETTER STOP, BEFORE YOU BREAK MY LONELY HEART ♪ ♪ OH WHOA, YOU'D BETTER STOP ♪ YOU BETTER STOP IF YOU LOVE ME ♪ ♪ OH IT'S TIME TO BE SORRY ♪ NO IT WON'T LAST FOREVER ♪ I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WALKED OUT ON ME ♪ ♪ YOU'D BETTER STOP, BEFORE YOU TEAR ME ALL APART ♪ ♪ YOU'D BETTER STOP, BEFORE YOU BREAK MY LONELY HEART ♪ ♪ WHOA WHOA YOU BETTER, WHOA WHOA YOU BETTER ♪ ♪ WHOA OH YOU BETTER STOP ♪ BETTER STOP BABY >>THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING, LONDON!

GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MY FAMILY'S HERE.

MY MOM AND DAD ARE HERE.

IT'S THE GREATEST HONOR OF MY LIFE TO PLAY THIS BUILDING.

I SET OUT TWENTY YEARS AGO TO PLAY THE GUITAR AND I SAID, "ONE DAY IF I CAN EVER MAKE IT TO THE ALBERT HALL, THAT WOULD BE THE COOLEST THING IN THE WORLD."

HERE I AM, SO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

AND THE FIRST SONG I EVER LEARNED HOW TO PLAY ON ELECTRIC GUITAR WAS "FURTHER ON UP THE ROAD" WE'VE BEEN PLAYING THAT ON OUR TOUR, YOU KNOW IN CELEBRATION OF THE ALBERT HALL, SO...

I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THE FIRST SONG AND THE MAN IS HERE TONIGHT.

MR. ERIC CLAPTON IS GOING TO COME OUT AND PLAY AND SING WITH US.

THE REASON WHY I PLAY THE GUITAR THE WAY I PLAY THE GUITAR, ABOVE ALL, CLAPTON IS REALLY THE GUY.

AND IF IT WASN'T FOR CLAPTON I WOULD BE A DIFFERENT PLAYER.

IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG MOMENT TO WATCH HIM WALK OUT THERE.

IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG MOMENT FOR ME.

OH MY GOD, LOOK AT THIS.

♪ FURTHER ON UP THE ROAD SOMEONE'S GONNA HURT YOU LIKE YOU HURT ME.

♪ ♪ FURTHER ON UP THE ROAD SOMEONE'S GONNA HURT YOU LIKE YOU HURT ME.

♪ ♪ FURTHER ON UP THE ROAD, BABY, JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE.

♪ ♪ YOU GOTTA REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW; ♪ ♪ THAT OLD SAYING IS TRUE.

♪ YOU GOTTA REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW; ♪ ♪ THAT OLD SAYING IS TRUE.

♪ JUST LIKE YOU MISTREAT SOMEONE, ♪ ♪ SOMEONE'S GONNA MISTREAT YOU.

♪ ♪ YOU BEEN LAUGHING, PRETTY BABY, ♪ ♪ SOMEDAY YOU'RE GONNA BE CRYING.

♪ ♪ YOU BEEN LAUGHING, PRETTY BABY, ♪ ♪ SOMEDAY SOON YOU'RE GONNA BE CRYING.

♪ ♪ FURTHER ON UP THE ROAD YOU'LL FIND OUT I WASN'T LYING.

♪ ♪ FURTHER ON UP THE ROAD ♪ SOMEONE'S GONNA HURT YOU LIKE YOU HURT ME.

♪ ♪ FURTHER ON UP THE ROAD ♪ SOMEONE'S GONNA HURT YOU LIKE YOU HURT ME.

♪ ♪ FURTHER ON UP THE ROAD, JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE.

♪ ♪ YOU GOTTA REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW; ♪ ♪ THAT OLD SAYING IS TRUE.

♪ YOU GOTTA REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW; ♪ ♪ THAT OLD SAYING IS TRUE.

♪ JUST LIKE YOU MISTREAT SOMEONE, ♪ ♪ SOMEONE'S GONNA MISTREAT YOU.

♪ ERIC CLAPTON!

♪ I DON'T NEED YOUR CONSTANT HEARTACHE ♪ ♪ ALL I HAVE IS MY GUITAR AND YOU ♪ ♪ I TURNED THIRTY ONE YEARS OLD TODAY ♪ ♪ ALL YOU GAVE ME WAS THAT STORE BOUGHT BLUES ♪ ♪ AND I KNOW HOW THAT LONESOME ♪ LONESOME ROAD BLUES CAN BE ♪ LIKE A DEVIL RACE CAR BABY ♪ LONESOME ROAD COMFORT ME ♪ I LONG FOR THOSE DAYS OF SIMPLE TIMES ♪ ♪ DAY'S WHEN GUITAR STRINGS A COST A DIME ♪ ♪ I'M THE ONLY ONE FOR YOU THERE IS ♪ ♪ HELP ME DOWN BABY, HELL THAT IS YEAH ♪ ♪ AND I KNOW HOW THAT LONESOME ♪ LONESOME ROAD BLUES CAN BE ♪ LIKE A DEVIL RACE CAR BABY ♪ LONESOME ROAD COMFORT ME ♪ I SOLD MY SOUL FOR A PACK OF CIGARETTES YEAH!

♪ ♪ MISSISSIPPI IS WHERE I THINK MY BEST ♪ ♪ MY STRING IS CRAZY, I KEEP HER SANE ♪ ♪ AFTER ME BABY THERE'S NO ONE TO BLAME ♪ ♪ AND I KNOW HOW THAT LONESOME ♪ LONESOME ROAD BLUES CAN BE ♪ LIKE A DEVIL RACE CAR BABY ♪ LONESOME ROAD COMFORT ME ♪ LIKE A DEVIL RACE CAR BABY ♪ THESE OL' BLUES COMFORT ME YEAH ♪ ♪ THE SHAPE THAT I'M IN ♪ NEVER LET HER DOWN A DAY IN MY LIFE ♪ ♪ TREE'S ALL AROUND ME ♪ AS I SEE THE TIME PASS ME BY ♪ NEVER TRADE YOU FOR THE WORLD ♪ ♪ NEVER DO THE THINGS I USED TO ♪ ♪ I GUESS IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH ♪ THIS I SEE ♪ BUT I'LL REMEMBER HAPPIER TIMES ♪ ♪ LIFE IT HITS ME ♪ COMES FASTER NOW DAY BY DAY ♪ PLACES THAT I'VE BEEN ♪ ARE NOT THE PLACE I WANNA BE ♪ NEVER TRADE YOU FOR THE WORLD ♪ ♪ NEVER DO THE THINGS I USED TO ♪ ♪ I GUESS IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH ♪ THIS I SEE ♪ AND I'LL REMEMBER HAPPIER TIMES ♪ ♪ FRIDAY COMES AND GOES ♪ I GUESS I WON'T TALK TO YOU ANYMORE ♪ ♪ SO MANY THINGS UNSAID ♪ SO MANY THINGS I WANNA SAY ♪ NEVER TRADE YOU FOR THE WORLD ♪ ♪ NEVER DO THE THINGS I USED TO ♪ ♪ I GUESS IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH ♪ THIS I SEE ♪ BUT I'LL REMEMBER HAPPIER TIMES ♪ ♪ AND NOW REMEMBER HAPPIER TIMES ♪ THAT'S BOGIE BOWLES AND ANTON FIG ON THE DRUMS!

♪ I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT LOVE PEOPLE, ♪ ♪ BUT I SURE THINK I'VE GOT IT BAD.

♪ ♪ I DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT LOVE PEOPLE, ♪ ♪ BUT I SURE THINK I'VE GOT IT BAD.

♪ ♪ SOME PEOPLE SAY LOVE IS JUST A GAMBLE, ♪ ♪ BUT WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S ABOUT TO DRIVE ME MAD.

♪ ♪ I'M SITTIN' HERE IN MY LONELY ROOM, ♪ ♪ TEARS FLOWIN' ALL DOWN MY EYES.

♪ ♪ AS I'M SITTIN' HERE IN MY LONELY ROOM, BABY ♪ ♪ THE TEARS FLOWIN' DOWN MY EYES.

♪ ♪ I WONDER HOW YOU COULD TREAT ME SO LOW DOWN AND DIRTY, ♪ ♪ YOUR HEART MUST BE MADE OUT OF IRON.

♪ ♪ SOMETIME, I GET SO WORRIED, BABY ♪ ♪ YOU KNOW I COULD SIT DOWN AND CRY, MYSELF TO SLEEP ♪ ♪ SOMETIME, I GET SO WORRIED, BABY ♪ ♪ YOU KNOW I COULD SIT DOWN AND CRY, MYSELF TO SLEEP ♪ ♪ BECAUSE, I DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT LOVE BABY, ♪ ♪ I SURE, ♪ I SAID I SURE, ♪ I SAID I SURE, ♪ THINK I'VE GOT IT BAD.

>>FOUR OR FIVE STANDING OVATIONS, I THINK THEY ENJOYED US.

WRECKED A PERFECTLY GOOD VERSACE SUIT.

THREW OUT PERFECTLY GOOD PAIR OF SUNGLASSES... AND CUT MY HANDS THREE TIMES, SO, AND ERIC CLAPTON PLAYED.

NOW I HAVE THAT TO SAY.

PLAYED WITH ERIC CLAPTON IN THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL.

THANKS GUYS.