VizzTone has released Keep on Pushing, the latest full-length statement from internationally acclaimed blues guitarist and vocalist Kirk Fletcher — a live-in-the-studio gem that pulses with swing and soul.
Co-produced with guitarist JD Simo and backed by a dream team of Nashville players, the album is both a tribute to the traditional blues that shaped Fletcher’s career and a deeply personal message of resilience and renewal, following a stroke he suffered a couple of years ago.
Drawing from the canon of Big Bill Broonzy, Arthur Crudup, and Percy Mayfield — alongside originals and a heartfelt Robert Nighthawk tribute co-written with Simo — Keep on Pushing is both reverent and forward-moving. Fletcher invites the listener into a room where the old ghosts still dance, the tape is rolling, and every note feels more lived in than looked back on.
Leading the charge and setting the tone is the first single, an instrumental titled “Croke.” Fletcher shares the story behind the tune: “‘Croke’ is a melody I’ve carried with me for many years. It’s in the style of your classic West Coast Jump Blues popularized by some of my mentors and heroes like Junior Watson and Hollywood Fats, along with guys like Bill Jennings and Tiny Grimes, all who Watson hipped me to in my early twenties.”
The title? A nod to a funny story from session bassist Ron Eoff, which only adds to the laid-back chemistry of the record. But the deeper you sink into the album, the more layers it reveals. Fletcher’s voice is warm and sincere, glowing on tracks like “It’s Love Baby.” His clean guitar tone cuts with quiet elegance on the Arthur Crudup classic “I’m Gonna Dig Myself a Hole,” speaking as much through space and touch as it does through notes.
Since his debut in 1999, Fletcher has become a highly respected force on the international blues stage. He’s shared bills with heavyweights like Joe Bonamassa, Charlie Musselwhite, and Nick Curran, led his own bands, and played with groups such as the Mannish Boys and the Fabulous Thunderbirds.
He recently completed his first tour of Korea and performed across Europe, with shows in Sweden, Portugal, and Romania. He also appeared at major North American festivals, including the Calgary Blues Festival in Canada and the Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas, and is set to perform at the upcoming Eastside Kings Festival in Austin, Texas.
