We do love our variety here at Moshville Times, and today we step away from the heavier material to let a guitar do the talking. Well, a guitar and the woman who wields it, unleashing some belting blues rock…
Simple things first – where are you from?
I was born in Brooklyn, raised in Massachusetts, a resident of Chicago for 35 years.
How long have you been playing?
I have had my own band for almost 30 years
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Simple – it’s my name – Joanna Connor!
What are your influences?
Blues, Funk, fusion, Rock, Soul.
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
My music is a guitar extravaganza, powered by a fierce and funky and versatile rhythm section, rooted in the blues of Chicago with a rock energy and funky syncopation. What makes us unique is that we all came through Gospel, the Chicago blues scene, and we are also musicians that are fluent in many genres.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Lyrical themes mirror life: heartache, triumph, struggle, sensuality, joy.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
The live show is structured spontaneity, soulful, passionate, and danceable. No pretence, all organic and from the heart and gut. An estimate of shows I’ve played on my life? About 8 thousand shows, about 400 with my current line-up.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
I’ve jammed with Jimmy Page and have seen people having oral sex on the dance floor.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
- Bass: Vanderkley, Lakeland bass, DR strings
- Drum: DW drums
- Keys: Triton Nord 76, Yamaha motif, JBL power speakers
- Guitar: Les Paul Modern, Orange Crush 120 amp
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
I am promoting my newest album produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith, 4801 South Indiana Avenue. It’s released on February 26th and can be pre-ordered right now!
What are your plans for the next 6 months or so?
My plan is to keep teaching guitar online and play as many shows as we can, if we can, and do studio work as it comes in, collaboration with my son, Hip Hop producer J Mixx.
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
I would love to open for Joe Bonamassa, and I would love a young musician here, Jamiah Rogers or Mike Wheeler to open for us.
Joanna Connor’s new album 4801 South Indiana Avenue, produced by Josh Smith and Joe Bonamassa, is released by KTBA Records on February 26th. Pre-order the album from https://jbonamassa.com/albums/
Header image by Allison Morgan
Check out this month’s Headline Act Playlist on Spotify and YouTube
Joanna Connor: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | youtube
