Mike Zito sings the Southeast Texas blues

Mike Zito might have been born in St. Louis, but his music is all Southeast Texas.

In every track, you can hear the influence of other Southeast Texas legends. I hear Marcia Ball in the piano in “Rainbow Bridge,” Blind Willie Johnson’s grit in the foot-stomper “Death Row.” Johnny Winter’s searing guitar style rears its head several times in Zito’s last two releases — 2014’s Songs from the Road and 2013’s Gone to Texas — and I hear a little of Jerry LaCroix’s blue-eyed soul in tracks like “Break a Leg.”

Love might have brought Zito to Southeast Texas, but the music sure didn’t hurt.

Two weeks ago, Zito played his last gig with the Royal Southern Brotherhood, the funky blues rock outfit he helped create, so he could focus on his solo work. This weekend, he plays with Louisiana blues rock legend Tab Benoit in one big ol’ show at the Gig. In advance of that massive blues explosion, we talked to Zito about touring, addiction and the allure of Southeast Texas:

Q How did you wind up in Southeast Texas?
A My last album, Gone to Texas, is really that story. I ran away from St. Louis. I was battling drug addiction and alcoholism and really struggling, and just took off one day on a Greyhound bus to Key West, Florida.

I had met a girl from Nederland in St. Louis at one of my shows. She gave me her phone number. I eventually got out of Florida and took a job in Texas, looked her up and we started dating. She found out pretty soon I was an addict and she helped me to get clean and sober here in Southeast Texas.

So I started my life over here and it’s been amazing. This is my home now and I love it.

Oh, and I married the girl.

Q How have the big-name Southeast Texas legends like Johnny Winter, Blind Willie Johnson and Janis Joplin influenced your sound?
A Johnny Winter was a dear friend to me. He was a hero for most of my life and I eventually got to play and spend time with him. His sound is so Southeast Texas/Gulf Coast blues — he has absolutely influenced me in many ways.
I was always a Janis fan, but Blind Willie Johnson has really impacted me. His memorial is near the school my wife teaches at in Beaumont. I recorded “Let Your Light Shine” on my Gone to Texas album.

Q What other Southeast Texas musicians — dead or alive — have influenced you?
A Marcia Ball, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Jerry LaCroix and Edgar Winter’s White Trash. There are so many great musicians in Southeast Texas.

Q In the song “Greyhound” from your latest album Songs from the Road, you delve into substance abuse issues that you’ve experienced during your career. Does substance abuse make it hard to be on the road so much? How do you keep yourself balanced and healthy when you’re on a long tour run?
A No, it’s not hard to tour these days. I learned very valuable tools when I got clean and I use them today and every day, whether I’m at home or on the road. I am a full-on recovery guy — that’s what a lot of my music is all about.

Folks in recovery all over the world come to my shows. Sometimes they take me to meetings or just come and talk with me. It all helps to stay focused. I read my recovery books, go to meetings and pray everyday. It worked when I got clean and it works today.

Q What is it about Southeast Texas that draws you back here?
A First and foremost, it was a beautiful school teacher from Nederland. She’s always here when I come home. But I have really come to truly appreciate this culture and community.

Folks that have lived here all their lives don’t really see how amazing this area is compared to the world. But I do. I am not from here and I travel all over and I can’t wait to get back home to Southeast Texas. It’s real. The people are real and life is not as fast as it is in other places.

The music and the history are amazing.

Tab Benoit & Mike Zito
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: The Gig, 240 Crockett St., Beaumont
Cost: $24.85; outhousetickets.com

beth@thecat5.com
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