Best Instrumental Album in Nashville 2026: Rick Vito, Slidemaster
Guitarist Rick Vito wasn’t being boastful when he titled his latest album Slidemaster. It’s a moniker he’s more than earned in a long and distinguished career that most musicians could only dream of having. Best known as a virtuoso of blues slide guitar, the Grammy-nominated axman explores a variety of blues flavors on the record, from jump blues, shuffles and acoustic Delta blues to slower, more sorrowful fare. There are five moving covers among the album’s 12 instrumental tracks, but Vito especially shines on the seven original compositions, which enable the listener to actually feel their subject matter.
