The guitar virtuoso's seventh solo album, "Sloe Gin," is due out on his own J&R Adventures label Aug. 21. In a statement, Bonamassa said the set--which reteams him with producer Kevin Shirley (Joe Satriani, Led Zeppelin)--is different than anything he's ever done before.

"The songs are more refined, and I was concentrating on them as a whole rather than only thinking about a 50-bar guitar solo," Bonamassa said. "Also, singing is a bigger part of it for me than ever before, and it's awesome to have that space--to connect with fans on a musical and lyrical level."

The set, which will follow last year's "You and Me," ranges from acoustic to heavy blues numbers. It includes several originals along with the Chris Whitley-penned "Ball Peen Hammer," the Ten Years After classic "One of These Days," Paul Rodgers' "Seagull," the John Martin classic "Jelly Roll," Charles Brown's "Black Night," and a version of the Bob Ezrin/Michael Kamen-penned "Sloe Gin" that clocks in at eight-plus minutes.

Bonamassa began playing guitar at age 4 and toured with legendary bluesman B.B. King by the time he was 12, according to his bio. He went on to work with guitar greats including Buddy Guy, Danny Gatton, Robert Cray and Stephen Stills.

At age 30, Bonamassa is the youngest member of the Blues Foundation's Board of Directors and is a spokesperson for the organization's Blues in the Schools program. The musician was also recently named Best Blues Guitarist in Guitar Player Magazine's 2007 Reader's Choice Awards.