Albert Castiglia

Blues guitarist Albert Castiglia was born in New York on August 12, 1969. Five years later his parents moved to Miami, where Castiglia began learning guitar. By the age of 12, he began playing local gigs and did so consistently throughout high school. Following completion of his college education, Castiglia worked as a social service investigator while playing gigs at night and on weekends around South Florida. In 1990 he joined Miami Blues Authority, and was the group's lead guitarist and vocalist for over seven years. After an audition with Chicago blues harp legend Junior Wells in 1997, Castiglia become the permanent lead guitarist for Wells' Hoodoo Man's Band. Following Junior's death in 1998, the band stayed together long enough to open shows for blues belter Sandra Hall. In 2001 Castiglia began writing his own material with the help of Graham Drout, guitarist and vocalist with the Miami-based band Iko Iko. With Drout's assistance, Castiglia released his debut CD, Burn, in 2002, followed four years later by A Stone's Throw on Blues Leaf Records. Castiglia stayed on Blues Leaf Records for the next six years, releasing three more records -- These Are the Days (2008), Keepin On (2010), and Living the Dream (2012). He then moved to Ruf Records in 2014 for Solid Ground. A live album arrived in 2015, followed by the studio set Big Dog in 2016, which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart. A year later, he returned with the Mike Zito-produced Up All Night. The full-length Masterpiece arrived in 2019 and peaked at number two on the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart. ~ Al Campbell