Ricky Byrd at the Bowery Electric

There have been many notable men named Richard or Ricky Byrd. There was the 19th century politician, the polar explorer and aviator, the Olympic athlete, the basketball player and coach, the football player and most recently, the Bronx-born, Queens-bred guitarist who played in Joan Jett & the Blackhearts from 1981 to 1991 (including the iconic riff in 1982's "I Love Rock & Roll"). That Ricky Byrd also recorded and toured with Roger Daltrey and Ian Hunter and released a solo album, Lifer, in 2013.

In the past year, Ricky Byrd performed as a singer-songwriter at the Bowery Electric, the Bitter End and B.B. King's  Blues Club & Grill with simply a microphone and an acoustic guitar. Byrd returned to the Bowery Electric tonight with a rhythm section and demonstrated that he is also a fine blues singer and electric guitarist. Byrd's musical influences were 1970s British blues-rock bands and maybe this was a throwback Thursday, because his set featured many old-time blues covers. He sang well from the gut and played impressive chops that probably would not have worked in Jett's band. Byrd still loves rock and roll, but now with some deep American roots.

Visit Ricky Byrd at www.rickybyrd.com.