Dylan Salfer wins Memphis blues competition and gets cussed out by Buddy Guy

Dylan Salfer has been busy. Three weeks ago, he was named best guitarist in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, and his band came in third place. Two weeks ago, he signed a deal with the former manager of Jonny Lang and Susan Tedeschi. Last week, he portrayed Eric Clapton in the Last Waltz tribute concert at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul.

All this activity comes after Salfer ended his four-year Wednesday night residency at Bunker’s Music Bar & Grill in Minneapolis in October. He and his five bandmates have been busy recording their debut album, which they hope to release this year. His next local gig is March 20 at the Icehouse.

A native of River Falls, Wis., Salfer got a toy guitar at age 2, played a real guitar on his lap at 7 and landed his first paying gig at 12. He’s gone on to perform with Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Bobby Whitlock of Derek & the Dominoes, among others.

The 25-year-old discussed his history and his hopes. Here are excerpts.

Q: How was the Memphis Blues Challenge?

A: It went great. Each round of the competition was changing; it started at 25 minutes, then 30 and 20 minutes for the finals. It was tricky because we’re used to stretching things out onstage. The band was stronger. And the connections I made were great. We’ve been getting booked all over the place.

Q: Does it matter that you came in third place?

A: We kind of got crowd favorite, which worked out for us in the long run. I won this best guitarist award. There are about seven pages of rules for this competition, and it’s subjective with these different scoring criteria. As long as you make the finals, you’ve got all the attention of the people you want.

Q: Didn’t you compete there when you were 15?

A: It wasn’t actually competing. They do what’s called a youth showcase. Each blues society sends promising kids, and I did it once when I was 14 and once when I was 15. A 30-minute set.

Q: Why did you end your Bunker’s residency?

A: It was just time. We’re at the point where we’re leaving town to play gigs and it’s not conducive to have one night a week in town. We’re going to focus on four or five big shows locally a year instead of an oversaturation thing. And we’re at a point where we’re focused on curating a two-hour show more for like theater, although Bunker’s is a riot and we had a lot of fun.

Q: What did you learn about yourself in those four years?

A: So much. The whole direction I’ve gone as an artist is because of that gig. It took 2 ½ years to find the right band for the sound I’m looking for. There’s one member who has remained from the beginning: José James is on saxophone and auxiliary percussion. It’s a six-piece band. We have two drummers. People have come and gone. During that time, I learned who I wanted to be musically and who wasn’t going to serve that purpose. It pushed me in a direction I wasn’t looking for. It’s a total band sound. During that time, I’ve written all the songs that are going to be on this record.

Q: When are you going to release your debut album?

A: We just recorded all the basic tracks at a studio called Daydream [Studios] in Arden Hills. At this point, it’s being edited. I’m not sure when the full record is going to be released, whenever I’m totally happy with it. Sometime in the next year. There’s going to be some singles coming out in the next few months.

Q: You have a mix of older and younger guys in your band now. How does that work?

A: It just works. I have so much respect for older musicians than me. To me, it’s not about an all-young band. It’s about the spirit. José is the oldest person in the band by far but he’s one of the most youthful. He’s just full of energy. It works because we’re all friends. I think there are no egos in this group. This band is so drama-free.

Q: What is it like to portray Eric Clapton in the Last Waltz tribute show, which you’ve done about four or five times now?

A: It’s a pretty big honor. Clapton is one of my all-time faves. I spent many years trying not to sound like Clapton because when I was a kid I used to tour with Bobby Whitlock, who started Derek & the Dominoes with Eric. Bobby was coming through the Midwest on a tour when I was 15 and some people recommended me. He was adamant: “Do not play like Clapton, do not play like Duane [Allman]; I want you to play like you, that’s why I hired you.” Fast forward, I get the call to do the Last Waltz, and they want me to be like Clapton. It’s a difficult thing to find that balance of how do I be myself and how do I look like myself so people remember me and also serve the music well. There’s an internal battle every time I do that gig.

Q: What did you learn from playing with so many of your blues heroes?

A: Most importantly, it’s intention. If you hit one note and don’t mean it, those blues guys know. If you’re not drawing from happiness or anger or sadness, they’re gonna know. They’re brutal. I’ve gotten cussed out by Buddy Guy and I’ve gotten kissed by Buddy Guy. If you’re not authentic in what you play or sing, they’ll boot you offstage or make you look like a fool. That was the No. 1 lesson. And Buddy Guy told me: “If you want to make a million bucks, you have to look like a million bucks.”

Q: How did you get into the blues?

A: I liked all music. I loved a Bob Marley and the Wailers live album. In my early years, I liked Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Ozzy [Osbourne], the Melvins, Queens of the Stone Age, AC/DC. I started learning all that stuff. Then my grandparents took me to Bayfront [Blues Festival in Duluth] when I was 10. Whoa! This is the sound I heard on the Bob Marley record but with a different groove.

Q: You’ve recently signed with manager Miki Mulvehill, who has worked with Jonny Lang, Susan Tedeschi, Bernard Allison and still manages Kenny Wayne Shepherd. What do you hope she does for you?

A: Hopefully within the next year, an extensive U.S. and European tour. Miki definitely has the drive and contacts to make that happen. It’s been probably four years since I’ve been to Europe. I’ve gotten so many friends and fans over there. Eventually I don’t see why we can’t sell out Red Rocks or Madison Square Garden. But one step at a time.