Tommy Castro is the definitive blues-playing road warrior.

If there’s a club on Earth the 65-year-old Marin County resident hasn’t played, it merely means he hasn’t heard of it.

The songwriting guitarist figured he’s performed in every state. Not Puerto Rico — yet — “but that’s not a state,” Castro said.

Toss in his share of “Blues Cruises” and Castro’s covered more of the planet than most explorers. Until COVID-19, of course, when The Tommy Castro Band made its way through Canada and Montana before the novel coronavirus reared its ugly head, putting a screeching halt to what has to be one of the busiest blues bands around.

The band’s last live show was in Paradise, site of the horrific 2018 Northern California fires.

“It was questionable whether the show would go on, but they didn’t have any (COVID-19) cases. They felt safe and they really wanted the show to go on,” Castro said.

After that performance in mid-March, “we’ve been home since,” Castro said.

“This is about the worst thing I’ve ever lived through,” he said, acknowledging that many people are “a little scared, a little depressed, a little anxious, though everyone’s dealing with it in their own way. I have to really pay attention and notice things in a good way to kinda balance it out so you don’t have this feeling of doomsday. We are going to get through this stuff.”

Castro abides by suggested protocols — social distancing, hand-washing, mask wearing — while eating right to boost his immune system. And, above all, he stays busy. When it’s almost instinct to wake up and pack the suitcase, keeping himself creating is key.

“Believe it or not, there’s still plenty to do as far as music goes,” Castro said by phone Tuesday.

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers have done two live-streamed shows with a third performance recording at Rancho Nicasio in Marin County that’s broadcast this Saturday, 7 p.m. on the Can’t  Stop the Blues Facebook page.

“We were going to record in May. Then we thought, maybe August. Now the whole thing is put on hold,” Castro said. “Nobody wants to release a record with a band that’s not touring.”

Still, “I can be working on songs, making songs, tweaking them and rewriting them,” Castro said. “Still keep busy with that. I’m also trying to learn some things on guitar that I never had time to do. Playing more acoustic stuff, country blues style that I always loved but it’s hard to do and takes a lot of practice.”

Yes, there plenty of those time-consuming things that a guy who lives on the road doesn’t have time for. Now, Castro said, there’s no excuse.

“I’m usually busy with my band and live music career and don’t have time to put in it. I have plenty of time now,” he said.

Beyond music, there’s a vegetable garden in the backyard and “a long list of things to do,” Castro said. “I’m trying to put a studio together in my garage.”

While COVID-19 may put a wrench into much of life, “keeping busy is not the problem,” Castro reiterated. “We’re taking it as it comes. You just really have to roll with it and do the next logical thing that crosses your mind or desk. We have nothing to compare this to, no experience with anything like this.”

Castro continues to donate his time and talents when he can to worthy causes. Right now, it’s the Marin County Food Bank.

“I’m doing my best to do the right thing,” he said. “I’m trying to do my part, staying involved in a handful of fund-raising things and trying to remain creative. That’s the challenge. With all this time, it’s so easy to put things off. That’s my struggle.”

If nothing else, Castro hopes to add to the Tommy Castro Band merchandise of T-shirts, ballcaps, water bottles, and guitar picks with a TCB face covering to fend off the nasty virus.

“You’ve got to wear them anyway,” he said. “Fans are always looking for ways to support the band. No reason not to do it. I’ve got a feeling we’re going to be needing to cover up for while.”

Castro said he and his peers will somehow survive the pandemic.

“Musicians are resilient,” he said. “We’re used to a struggle. Of course, everybody, especially at first, are concerned about what it means to our livelihoods. There is assistance. A lot of guys are on unemployment. I was able to get a small business loan to tide me over for awhile. So most of us will be OK. Most people I know will manage. Most people are figuring out how to do live streams.”

The good news is the five-month breather has allowed Castro to actually have long phone conversations.

“That’s probably be the most soulful upside of this thing,” he said. “You’re able to pick up the phone and talk to an old friend for an hour, hour and a half, because we both have the time. I’ve been reaching out to a whole bunch of people who normally don’t have time to chit-chat.”

And, with grown kids living elsewhere, “we’ve had some family together time on Zoom,” said Castro. “And I can meet with the band on Zoom so we can talk. It’s almost like hanging out on the bus. The same kind of banter, same kind of jokes.”

For more, visit tommycastro.com.