In a phone interview, singer, songwriter and guitarist Sean Costello says, "The thing about the blues for me is there is nothing in the way, there's no over-thinking going on. As soon as you hear it, you pick up the greatest intense and emotional feelings from it. The blues are straight from the heart."

Raised in Atlanta, Costello started learning the guitar and songs of Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. One day he picked up a Howlin' Wolf record and heard the lead guitar sounds of Hubert Sumlin, and it changed his life.

After winning the Memphis Beale Street Blues Society's competition as a teenager, and playing on stage with the likes of James Cotton, B.B. King, Bo Diddley and Buddy Guy, he developed a friendship with Atlanta bluesman Felix Reyes, who allowed him to sit in regularly with his popular act, Felix and The Cats.

Costello's first album, "Call the Cops" was released in 1996 and called an "explosive debut" by Real Blues Magazine. He was invited to play lead guitar in Susan Tedechi's band resulting in his being featured on her Grammy-nominated release, "Just Won't Burn."

He then jumped in a van and toured in the fast lane with Tedeschi for nearly two years before he realized he'd put his own dreams on hold and left to pursue them. He released two more critically acclaimed albums and was nominated for a prestigious W.C. Handy Award for "Best New Artist."

Costello began to rebuild his sound away from what he calls the "screaming guitar monotony" of the flashy, rock-inspired playing he has felt was bastardizing the blues. He also began to study the voices of his blues idols, in order to improve his vocals.

Today, at 25 years old, Costello is an eight-year touring veteran of the blues scene and is paying the area a visit on Oct. 29 for a performance at Gold Country Casino's Spirits Lounge, presenting songs from his latest self-titled album.