From that heritage an unlikely blues figure has emerged, singer-songwriter and British blues-rock guitarist Chantel McGregor. The Mississippi Delta maybe be the birthplace of the blues, but British blues heritage is just as storied. With a line of Fender Stratocasters to his name, he must be doing something right. Like many of these artists, he’s paid his respects to his blues lineage, covering many of the greats, but with his latest record, Lay It On Down, it’s all original material and shows off Shepherd’s fiery, roots-rock sound.

The Louisiana, self-taught axeman has enjoyed commercial success at a very young age, with seven singles in the Billboard Top 10, two Billboard Music Awards, and has been nominated for five Grammys. Since making his recording debut in 1995, at the age of 18, and singing about “how the good die young”, it’s a relief that Shepherd didn’t meet some tragic fate and went on to release nine more, driving blues-rock albums. At only 21 years of age, King is poised to become a leading figure on the new blues scene, with soulful vocals, nimble guitar work and honest songwriting that culminates into what he calls “soul-influenced psychedelic southern rock”. King can add another blues bona fide to his resume, with the late Derek Trucks of The Allman Brothers Band lending his signature slide guitar to the record. Citing Gov’t Mule frontman and fellow Carolinian, Warren Haynes as his leading influence, the guitar virtuoso ended up working with his idol when Haynes produced his self-titled album and played on a few tracks. Like many of the blues phenoms on this list, Marcus King was brought up on the blues and got his start gigging with his father, Marvin King, in Greenville, South Carolina. These young artists may be young in age but in blues years, they’re old souls.

Everyone knows the icons who built the blues: Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker, but who are the new bluesmen and women keeping the tradition alive? With the blues-rock revival in recent years led by bands such as The Black Keys, The Alabama Shakes and The White Stripes the question of, “Do you have the right to sing the blues?” has no longer become the qualifying factor.

Best of old school blues