A lot can happen in someone's life in seven years.

For slide guitarist Roy Rogers, that's how long it's been since his last studio album with his band, the Delta Rhythm Kings. During that time, he's moved from Marin after almost 20 years in Novato; watched his kids become adults; survived a bout with prostate cancer; and, at age 59, reflected on his career so far, deciding to take it in a new and more challenging direction.

"Seven years later, you're a new person," Roy told me while driving home from a late-summer concert he played for several thousand people in the Healdsburg plaza. "You're starting from scratch."

He may be starting from scratch with the new album, but he's already made his mark in the world of the blues and on his

particular instrument. Rolling Stone calls him "one of the rare guitar heroes who values feeling over flash," and Guitar Player magazine says "many guitarists dabble in slide guitar, but the number of modern masters can probably be counted on one hand - Roy Rogers is surely one of them."

Rogers' new album, "Split Decision," recorded at Studio D in Sausalito, lives up to its title in that part of it continues the deep blues vein that Rogers has mined in his career to date, and another new and different part explores the jazz-inflected sound that has captured his creative imagination. It reflects a more mature phase of his life and his music.

"Regardless of where the songs come from, you're making a statement about where you are musically

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and mentally at this stage of the game," he said. "I just turned 59, and I find it so fascinating how my perspectives have changed and how those perspectives, whether you like it or not, enter your music."

The most radical departure for him can be heard on the tracks featuring jazz saxophonist George Brooks and the New Age guitarist Ottmar Liebert.

On an original instrumental titled "Rite of Passage," Rogers' trades solos with Brooks' saxophone improvisations. Brooks is a new acquaintance, and having him guest on the album is unlike anything Rogers has ever done.

"I wanted to have slide guitar and some really 'outside' saxophone - not R&B, but straight-ahead jazz," he explained. "The same thing on my other instrumental, 'Walkin on the Levee.' It's the juxtaposition of the deep blues with somebody going bebop on you that I was interested in. "

Liebert adds Spanish-style acoustic guitar part to the Rogers' penned tune "Your Sweet Embrace," playing against Rogers' metallic slide guitar in a kind of musical yin-yang.

"I had been sitting on that melody a long time and didn't quite know what to do with it," he said. "I felt the middle part should be a different kind of sound and Ottmar came up with the perfect part."

In another unusual twist, Rogers' 33-year-old son, Sam, who calls himself "a one-mouth band," sings the bass line on one tune and adds berimbau, a Brazilian percussion instrument, to another.

"I think that's what interests me most these days is the juxtaposition of different sounds," he said. "That intrigues me and I want to pursue that more."

Rogers (for those unfamiliar with him, he was named after the singing cowboy) may be excused for taking so long to record a new album. In addition to playing 80 shows a year in the United States and Europe, he's been dealing with some major changes in his life.

He and his wife of 25 years, Gaynell Rogers, who's also his manager, sold the house in Novato where they had lived since 1988 and moved to an eight-acre spread just outside the Gold Country town of Nevada City in the Sierra foothills.

"We loved living in Marin," Roy said. "But we wanted to get in a more low-key environment and not have the traffic. I love the small-town atmosphere, the proximity of things, knowing our neighbors.

"I'm still on the road a lot, and when I come home off the road and I'm walking in the forest, it doesn't take me any time at all to wind down. And the Sacramento airport is a whole lot better than Oakland and San Francisco. It's a mindset thing. It comes with getting older."

Two years ago, he had surgery for prostate cancer, and has had no recurrences since.

"I didn't need chemotherapy and I've had no residual effects, I'm happy to say," he said with relief. "We caught it early and it's done."

Rogers has had great success producing other peoples' albums, including John Lee Hooker's Grammy-grabbing "The Healer" in 1989. He's now finishing a spoken-word CD with family friend and folk legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott recounting his colorful life and career.

Now that he's settled into this new time in his life, Roy is contemplating a slide guitar Christmas album that he admits would be "pretty whack," and an album of jazz standards on slide guitar.

"I want to go in and record a jazz record," he said. "And I want to combine sounds with slide guitar that hasn't been done before. One thing for sure, it won't take me another seven years to make my next album."

IF YOU GO

- What: Roy Rogers and the Delta Rhythm Kings

- When: 4 p.m. Sept. 6

- Where: Rancho Nicasio on the Town Square in Nicasio

- Tickets: $20

- Information: 662-2219; www.ranchonicasio.com

Contact Paul Liberatore via e-mail at liberatore@marinij.com; follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LibLarge