Keb’ Mo’

Written partially in his adopted hometown of Nashville and partially in the Compton house he grew up in, Keb’ Mo’s captivating new album, “Good To Be,” is a celebration of roots and resilience, of growth and gratitude, of hope and memory. The songs here manage to tie the two cities together, drawing on country, soul, and blues to weave a heartwarming tapestry that transcends genre and geography and spans more than forty years of sonic evolution. Though Keb’ worked with a wide variety of collaborators on the project (including Vince Gill, Darius Rucker, Kristin Chenoweth, and Old Crow Medicine Show), it remains a deeply cohesive work, one anchored by the five-time GRAMMY winner’s magnetic vocal delivery and relentless optimism. “It’s good to be here / It’s good to be anywhere,” Keb’ sings with an audible smile. “It’s good to be back / Good to be home again.”

In the nearly 30 years since the release of his critically acclaimed, self-titled debut, “Keb’ Mo’” has topped the “Billboard” Blues Chart seven times; performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall to The White House; collaborated with many including Taj Mahal, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, The Chicks, and Lyle Lovett; had compositions recorded and sampled by artists as diverse as B.B. King, Zac Brown, and BTS; released signature guitars with both Gibson and Martin; appeared in and composed music for films and TV; and earned the Americana Music Association’s 2021 award for Lifetime Achievement in Performance.