Some men are born into greatness, others have it thrust upon them; then there are people like Tab Benoit, who have to go out and hunt the sucker down.

Only 32, Tab was born in Baton Rouge and raised in Houma, LA. Not exactly blues country, but that didn't matter to Tab at first; like many young guitarists, he just wanted to play and he didn't much care where or what. "I was always in weekend bands,...