Bill Wharton has been dedicated to the stage since he started playing bars at 14. While his slide guitar is deeply informed by the blues, it doesn't stop there; hints of lively garage-soul and swampy Delta boogie also infuse his mix. His voice's gritty undercurrent matches the music. But the 64-year-old Floridian made his mark with his cooking and signature hot sauce, which prompted the nickname "Sauce Boss." In one of the greatest stage gimmicks, Wharton cooks a pot of gumbo while performing, then serves it to the audience, a tradition for more than two decades. —Chris Parker