Brian Setzer may be best known for his work with the Stray Cats, whose 1950s-sounding rockabilly style made them one of the hottest bands of the 1980s. He was still in school when he started his career playing in jazz bands, but later became more interested in punk, rock, and rockabilly. He and his brother Gary started a band called the Tomcats, which morphed into the Stray Cats when Slim Jim Phantom and Lee Rocker came aboard and Gary left. Among the band’s biggest hits are “Rock This Town” and “Stray Cat Strut.”
Setzer moved on to a successful solo career, first as a sideman for artists like the Honeydrippers, a group formed by Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin. Setzer began to change his focus on “The Knife Feels Like Justice,” his initial solo album, which slanted toward heartland rock and R&B. He continued to evolve with “Live Nude Guitars,” which brought in a blues/rock aspect. He also has success with the Brian Setzer Orchestra. His most recent release is 2023’s “The Devil Always Collects.” A review says:
“ . . . he manages to evoke his own tone from his Gretsch guitar while also demonstrating great technical skill.”
Setzer is bringing his “Rockabilly Riot” Tour to the Taft Theatre in Cincinnati on Sunday, October 3. Organizers of events like this can promote them using poster printing to create advertising.