Blues Guitar Star brings ‘Heavy Soul’ to the Gunter Theatre

Back in the old days, when an artist was about to release a new album, you might hear one or two singles, tops, in the months leading up to that album’s release. But when fiery English blues guitarist – and past winner of a prestigious British Blues Award for Best Female Vocalist – Joanne Shaw Taylor walks onstage at the Peace Center’s Gunter Theatre on March 30, she won’t have to worry about people not knowing the songs from her upcoming album Heavy Soul, which comes out on June 7.

Embracing New Single Releases

“The nice thing about this album for me is that we’ve been releasing every song as a single,” Taylor said, “So there’s no concern for me about playing new songs that the audience wouldn’t have heard before.” And the audience is definitely in for a treat.

Shaw has spent most of her career ruling the blues charts. In fact, her 2021 album, simply and confidently titled “The Blues Album,” went all the way to the top on the Billboard magazine Blues Charts. On her last album, 2022’s “Nobody’s Fool,” Taylor and her co-producers, Josh Smith and blues guitar phenom Joe Bonamassa, experimented with her music, bringing straight ahead rock, tender ballads, and more than a little country into the mix. Now, with “Heavy Soul,” Taylor wants to get back to the blues but keep that musical experimentation in mind.

Staying True to Her Style

“I think the challenge for me with ‘Heavy Soul’ was to try and bring it back to my usual style, while still managing to keep some stylistic connection to ‘Nobody’s Fool,’” she said. “Fortunately for me, I had a few songs left from the previous album that I still loved and wanted to release.”

Taylor was discovered by the Eurythmics guitarist, producer, and songwriter Dave Stewart when she was 16 years old, so she’s had plenty of time to develop a killer live show over the years.

Connecting with the Audience

“For me, I want the show to have all the aspects my audience expects to see: Great musicianship and the songs they’ve come to love,” she said. “But my main focus is that they come away from it feeling some sort of a connection to me. At the end of the day, these are songs I’ve written about myself and my experiences, and that’s what is most important.”

And the fan reaction always leaves Taylor feeling grateful and humbled. When asked what the most rewarding thing about playing live is, her answer is simple: The fans. “I think about how lucky I am to get to express myself in a creative way and share that with lovely people who constantly come out to support me,” she said.

Event Details

Want to go? Who: Joanne Shaw Taylor When: Saturday, March 3o Where: Gunter Theater Tickets and info: peacecenter.org