Samantha Fish established her blues guitar bonafides over six albums of her own and two “Girls with Guitars” releases that paired her with Cassie Taylor, Dani Wilde and Victoria Smith.

Surprisingly, her latest album, “Kill or Be Kind,” is the first in which Fish played every guitar note heard on the record.

Fish said many of her previous albums had been produced by guitar players who often sat in on a track or two. “Kill or Be Kind” was produced by Scott Billington, a blues harmonica player who also is vice president of A&R for Fish’s new label, Rounder Records.

“It was just an exciting opportunity to showcase my skills but also take it to a different level,” she said during a telephone interview last month. “It was kind of empowering.”

Fish’s guitar skills will be on display at Packard Music Hall when she headlines the Tangled Up in Blues Holiday Hootenanny on Wednesday. Joining her will be Anthony Gomes, Mike Zito and Reverend Freakchild.

But “Kill or Be Kind” isn’t a straight guitar blues record. Sure, there are songs built on big, bluesy riffs (“Bulletproof,” “Watch It Die”), but the album also features horn-driven songs, the occasional appearance of a synthesizer and quiet numbers like “Dream Girl” that showcase her skills as a vocalist.

“Dream Girl” is one of the tracks that evolved most in the studio, she said. It started with loop of different percussion instruments built for Fish to sing over.

“It was very atmospheric,” Fish said. “It has a different emotion to it now because of what Scott built. It’s such a sad song, but the chords put to it have a happy sound. That juxtaposition I felt really took it to another level and portrayed the emotion I wanted to convey.”

Fish had a bounty of songs to pick from and worked with several different writers before going into the studio, including people not necessarily known for the blues, like Kate Pearlman (who’s worked with Kelly Clarkson) and Jim McCormick (who’s written songs for Keith Urban and Luke Bryan).

“I definitely want to be one of those artists who comes in with 30, 40 ideas,” she said. “It was close to that. I came in with more than I needed. I had more than enough.”

She probably won’t revisit the songs that didn’t make the cut.

“An album is a snapshot of where you are at that time. You don’t want to be pulling stuff from 10 years ago. I think I’m better than that now. If you’re growing as an artist, you always think you have a better idea right around the corner.”

That doesn’t mean she won’t put a new twist on her old material. Now touring with a six-piece band that adds saxophone, trumpet and keyboards to the guitar, bass and drums lineup, she’s expanded the arrangements of some of the older songs in the setlist.

“They kind of give the songs new life with bigger, more dynamic arrangements,” Fish said. “Horns can add an extra layer of drama if you use them properly … ‘Wild Heart,’ the trio album, I’ve dressed up a lot of those songs with horns and added an extra cool thing to it.”

Some of the stylistic changes on “Kill or Be Kind” have helped the album get exposure on adult album alternative radio and other nonblues formats. But all genres have their traditionalists, and blues fans can be more traditional than most. It’s a fact Fish recognizes but tries not to let color her choices.

“How do you please the ones who’ve been there and taken great care of you and supported you and also be true to yourself as an artist? In the end, that’s where the answer lies — you have to be true to yourself. I know I’ve lost fans. There’s always going to be purists, and there are always going to be acts who cater to that.

“I have to chase down what is inspiring me, what is true to me. If I’m not believing in it 110 percent … At the end of the day, it’s your job as an artist to make music that appeals to you. I’ve been blessed to have a hardcore group of fans who’ve stuck with me through the changes. We’ve lost some people, but we’ve gained people, too. It’s kind of normal actually for people to come in and out. My job is to keep making new stuff.”