Chris O’Leary – Blue Collar

Singing with pure, unadulterated soul and playing harmonica with full-throttle, locomotive power

Chris O’Leary – Blue Collar
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital
Label: Alligator Records
Release: 2026

Release date: July 10, 2026

World-class blues star, harmonica, vocal and songwriting master Chris O’Leary will release ‘Blue Collar,’ his second Alligator Records album. ‘Blue Collar’ finds the Marine combat veteran, ex-Federal police officer and former lead singer of Levon Helm’s legendary Barn Burners turning his myriad life experiences into timeless blues tales

On record and on stage, O’Leary commands attention, singing with pure, unadulterated soul and playing harmonica with full-throttle, locomotive power. O’Leary’s all-original songs are musically irresistible, often funny, and filled with honest truths and sage advice. They are an intoxicatingly refreshing, one-of-a-kind, high-energy, deep-dish gumbo of Chicago blues, Memphis soul and New Orleans funk.

“I’ve lived the craziest life,” says Chris O’Leary. “Going to war, performing and touring with (The Band’s) Levon Helm, befriending and learning from blues legend James Cotton, now recording for Alligator. It’s something I’ll never take for granted.”

The self-produced ‘Blue Collar’ delivers 11 original, emotionally complex songs featuring O’Leary’s powerful harp work and soul-testifying vocals. The music is fueled by his dynamic band, exuding swaggering confidence at every turn. The songs, says O’Leary, are “all personal, all real-life.” On the late-night warning After 2 A.M., O’Leary sings of all the trouble one person can get into after making a few ill-advised choices once the sun goes down.

The funny-because-it’s-true What Would I Do Without You?, and the barn-burning, swampy Live Baby Gators (featuring accordionist Wayne Toups), turn the heat up. Adding to the proceedings, O’Leary’s friend and mentor Bob Margolin brings his Muddy Waters-infused guitar work to the slow and soulful Nothing But A Memory. And O’Leary’s legendary Alligator labelmate, Lil’ Ed Williams, brings his slide guitar firepower to the autobiographical One More Cup Of Coffee.

From his Virginia home to stages all over the world, O’Leary has become one of the blues world’s pre-eminent harmonica players, superlative original songwriters, deep-down soulful singers, and most in-demand live performers. The award-winning O’Leary has been playing professionally since the 1990s, with five pre-Alligator solo albums to his credit. His 2004 Alligator debut The Hard Line steamrolled blues fans around the world with its deeply personal, potent original songs, crackerjack musicianship, devastatingly soulful, hair-raising vocals and a wry, spot-on sense of the absurd.

Website: https://thechrisolearyband.net/

Tracks:
01. Bad Decisions 4:21
02. Lady Luck 3:32
03. Am I The Only Fool? 3:44
04. One More Cup Of Coffee 3:35
05. Nothing But A Memory 5:08
06. Justice Must Be Blind 3:43
07. After 2 A.M. 4:43
08. One Way Street 5:04
09. Live Baby Gators 4:45
10. How’d I Ever Get Along? 5:01
11. Daddy Was A Wolfman 3:51

Chris O’Leary: Vocals, Harmonica
Pat O’Shea: Guitar 1,3,6,8,9,10,11
Shiela Klinefelter: Bass 3,4,9,11, Vocals 6,9,11
Chuck Cotton: Drums 1,3,4,6,8,9,10,11, Vocals 6,9,11
with
Wayne Toups: Accordion 9
Andy Huenerberg: Bass 2
Mike Law: Bass 5
Rodrigo Mantovani: Bass 1,6,7,8,10
Mike Bram: Drums 5,7
Dan Vitarello: Drums 2, Vocals 4,8
Greg Gumpel: Guitar 2,7,8,9,11
Bob Margolin: Guitar 5
Chris Vitarello: Guitar 5,7, Vocals 4,8
Lil’ Ed Williams: Guitar 4
Bronson Hoover: Keyboards 1,3,4,6,8,9,10,11
Jesse O’Brien: Piano, 2,5,7
Shane Kirsch: Saxes 3
Chris DiFrancesco: Saxes 6,10
Andy Stahl: Sax 3,8