To launch a hit single as a reworking of Albert King’s 1967 chart classic, ‘As The Years Go Passing By’ is nothing short of a master-stroke for blues guitarist and singer, Stephen Dale Petit. Check the date: 15th June 2009. The label is ‘333 Records’. While people tend not to buy singles anymore, I can assure you that if you like the blues, then this is a cover version that you will simply have to obtain.

Clapton has acknowledged that this awesome track provided his inspiration for the guitar riff in ‘Layla’ and this version, arranged by no less a personality than Chris Elliot (whose close collaborations with both Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse are well chronicled), is sure to sky-rocket on play lists around both the Beeb and commercial radio stations around the UK.

Hailing from California, Petit showed precocious talent from an early age and became entranced by the blues scene, after listening to the sounds of BB King, John Mayall, Bob Dylan and Albert King. His chance teenage meetings with both of the aforementioned Kings only served to fuel his fires. Although he has played with innumerable other ‘greats’, including Clapton, Phil May, Dave Gilmour and Ian Stewart, it was his venturing into London’s Underground busking scheme in 2003 that brought him into finer focus for some sectors of the music media.

A prodigious talent, he is currently fronting a ‘New Blues’ genre that he insists is taking the style of music into another age, something that ‘the blues’ has done quite readily since its inception. As this is being written, Petit is working on the final touches of his new album. ‘The Crave’, which is being produced at Lincoln’s Chapel Studios and is set to be released this September on the Universal label. A great choice of classic blues single from an accomplished performer.