Todd Albright isn’t just keeping the blues alive—he’s digging into its bedrock and bringing it forward with a reverence that feels both studied and deeply lived-in. Based in Detroit, the country blues guitarist and vocalist has built his reputation around the raw, ringing power of the twelve-string, channeling the pre-war traditions that shaped American music while refusing to let them calcify into museum pieces.
Albright’s approach is rooted in the sounds of Blind Willie McTell, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lead Belly, and other foundational voices, but his performances carry more than faithful reinterpretation. There’s a grit and urgency to his playing—equal parts driving and meditative—that underscores his role as both historian and storyteller. Between songs, he often weaves in the lineage behind the music, offering audiences a deeper connection to the African American artists who forged the genre’s earliest paths.
A longtime affiliate of Jack White’s Third Man Records since 2016, Albright has steadily carved out a space as one of the most compelling modern practitioners of twelve-string blues. In a landscape where the instrument has become increasingly rare, he stands as a singular figure, bridging past and present with a style that feels both archival and immediate.
On record, Albright’s catalog reflects a steady deepening of that vision—from his 2014 self-titled debut through 2017’s Fourth Floor Visitor and the standout Detroit Twelve String: Blues & Rags, released via Third Man. Each release finds him refining his balance of fidelity and individuality, pushing the form forward without losing sight of its origins.
That trajectory continues with Blues For Dexter Linwood, his long-awaited fourth album, produced by Charlie Parr and slated for release April 17th on Misfortune Records (PRE-ORDER). If his past work is any indication, it won’t just revisit tradition—it will inhabit it, stretch it, and remind listeners why these songs still matter.
Today, Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of the standout track “The Fort Worth & Dallas Blues.” Though the song has its roots with Lead Belly and Blind Lemon Jefferson, stretching back many years, it is also in fine hands with Albright. With his driving guitar picking and gritty yet soulful vocals, Albright reinvigorates this classic without adding too much flash and pizazz. It still feels like the kind of song that would be performed on the streets, and Albright gives it a rollicking energy that propels it forward.
Albright describes the inspiration behind the tune:
Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly, said this is a tune that he and Blind Lemon Jefferson played on the streets of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, in the 19-teens. Apparently, the song went over big, and they were showered with money every time they played it. So far, I have not had that experience.
LISTEN:
