About 100 years ago, blues music traveled north from the Mississippi Delta, following the two Great Migrations. It built thriving music communities in Memphis, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Chicago. It moved eastward to Atlanta, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. 

Neither of those movements came anywhere near the northern shore of Lake Ontario and the megacity of Toronto. 

So, how could The 416 produce one of the preeminent blues guitarists of the 21st century? Every great blues musician has a great origin story, and Anthony Gomes has a doozie.

Gomes brings his hard-rocking flavor of the blues to the Baker Street Centre on Saturday, Jan. 11. 

Meeting a king

After reminiscing about riotous performances back in the good old days at Skip’s in Angola, area favorite Gomes answered a few questions about his journey by phone.

Growing up in Toronto, Gomes cites Jeff Healey as a local legend that got him interested in blues music. Stevie Ray Vaughan was at his peak of international popularity, and Gomes’ early interest in music history led him to Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and BB King.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime connection to one of those legends that altered his trajectory in all the right ways. 

While studying music at the University of Toronto, Gomes played guitar at a local open mic where the reward was typically a beer for a song. His early talents brought him a reputation, and he was offered two beers a song one night, and gave it double the effort. 

Following the show, a stranger approached him and asked him about his favorite guitarist.

“I said, ‘That’s easy, it’s BB King,’ ” Gomes said. “I don’t know why I said it was easy. I could have said a dozen people. 

“He said, ‘You know, I thought so. I’m his bus driver.’ I didn’t know if I could believe him. Lo and behold, the next day there were front row tickets waiting for us at will call.”

“I went to Office Max and made business cards that said, ‘Anthony Gomes, Professional Electric Blues Guitarist.’ I look back and I laugh, because no professional would ever put ‘professional guitarist’ on their card. 

“But (King) seemed enamored that I went to that length. He was great. He gave me all sorts of advice on how to be a good bandleader, and things that would happen in my career, and what I needed to do. He mentored me and dozens of other people. 

“We opened for him several times, and he was always wonderful and gracious and humble and supportive.”

On the right path

Gomes’ time at the University at Toronto was not just building the kind of rep that gets you two beers in a dive bar. He was serious about his education.

After a stellar undergrad career, he earned his master’s degree on the strength of his thesis on the racial and cultural evolution of blues music. 

His pursuit of knowledge is a journey of self-discovery.

“Toronto isn’t known for a blues scene,” he said. “I wanted to figure out how I fit in. I wanted to find out where it came from. Did I have a right to play the blues? The road led me to say, yeah. 

“The blues has grown to be a very big word that includes everybody. That was my journey.  To understand where it came from. To know better where it’s going.”

Making an impact

That journey has brought Gomes success with massive hits on every blues chart. 

He’s found a way to use his achievements to give back to others in the form of music. Gomes is proud to be the founder of Music Is The Medicine Foundation, a national nonprofit that he was passionate to talk with me about.

“A bunch of us got together and thought about how we could make a positive impact in the world,” he said. “Music has been so good to me and for me… . I don’t know if I’d be here if it wasn’t for music. I grew up with a mom who was a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, and there were some tough times. Music really filled the void of a parent who couldn’t always be there.

“I wanted to give back. I knew music was a savior for me, and it could be for others. So, we found ways of dealing with healing and music. It’s small, a humble foundation. We have a few volunteers. 

“One hundred percent of what we raise goes back. We’ve shied away from the temptation to get bigger, to make sure everybody can feel good that every penny in their dollar is going to make a difference.”

Dream jam session

Veterans of northeast Indiana’s blues scene will remember those amazing shows at Skip’s, and the 2025 version ought to live up to the reputation. 

“We’re a power trio, heavy on the power,” Gomes said of his current lineup. “It’s the crossroads of where blues and heavy rock meet. It’s the soul of the blues and the power of hard rock. People hear ‘blues’ and they think ‘jazz’ sometimes, but we’re definitely high energy. We owe as much to BB King as we do to AC/DC.

“People are in for an entertaining evening of high-voltage music. We’re going to leave everything on the stage. We love playing in Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne music fans just get it.”

Given a chance with a music historian, I had to ask Gomes who his dream collaboration would be if he could play with anyone.  He gave two answers, one predictable and one that you might not expect.

“I mean, I’d love to have jammed with Jimi Hendrix. Right? Right?” he said. “But there are so many wonderful artists that I would love to go back in time. So many amazing folks who have laid the path for what we do. I’ll say… Beethoven.”

I can’t imagine there’s any chance we’ll hear Gomes rip through a cover of “Ode to Joy” while shaking the walls of Baker Street Centre, but you can be guaranteed he’ll make those walls shake. After a couple of decades of touring, that AC/DC influence will be impossible to miss.