Song Premiere: GA-20 and Charlie Musselwhite Bring “Crazy Love” into Modern Era with Classic Chicago Blues Style

Hana Gustafson on April 30, 2026

Photo: Elizabeth Ellenwood

Today, GA-20 and Charlie Musselwhite have lent Relix the initial spin of “Crazy Love,” the first single and album launch for Blues Now, a merging of two generations of genre masters across 10 tracks. Sketched by Willie Dixon and imagined in the studio by Buddy Guy, this chapter of “Crazy Love” history lends itself to the present and this ensemble’s aptitude to toy with foundational elements of the blues tradition. The latest take on “Crazy Love” is equipped to endure the times like the original while maintaining its own homebred integrity.

As the centerpiece of today’s announcement, “Crazy Love” demonstrates the ensemble’s willingness and confidence to assert the characteristics of Windy City Blues by applying electronic elements that transmute passion and its all-consuming effect. “This song has all of the elements we look for: the attitude, Chicago blues-based, with a soul/garage approach. Buddy Guy is a favorite, and this tune is not one easily found. It’s a hidden Buddy Guy gem,” Matthew Stubbs tells Relix.

“Crazy Love” was tracked during the sessions that informed Blues Now in early 2025. At the time, GA-20 had booked six days in the studio, gathering material that originated from Elmore James, Junior Wells, and Eddie Taylor, while also inviting Musselwhite to toss in his favorites: a pair of pulls of his 1968 debut, Stand Back! “We tried to find songs that Charlie had a connection to or artists that he knew personally from Chicago, but also just songs that we liked and thought we could do justice,” Stubbs says.

“The GA-20 sound historically has been in that ballpark of raw Chicago Blues from the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, but we didn’t want to simply re-create Stand Back!, we just wanted to be influenced by it. We wanted to capture the spirit of that record.” To that end, the group recorded live and worked with a sense of urgency to capture the unabashed energy of working musicians as they shared a space and cut tracks.

Musslewhile says, “We’re so good we have to make mistakes on purpose. Everything went smoothly. Making this album was as easy as falling off a log.” Blues Now pedals in the ambiance of 1968 into the modern era, demonstrating respect for the genre forefathers while preserving artistic integrity that underscores universal appeal.

Blues Now is due on July 31, 2026, via New West Records.

Pre-order Blues Now. Listen to “Crazy Love” below.