Award-Winning Roots Singer/Guitarist JW-Jones Has Everything Now on His New Album
Award-winning roots singer/guitarist JW-Jones new solo album, Everything Now, is out now on Solid Blues Records, distributed by Stony Plain. Joining him on the new disc are special guests Jimmie Vaughan, The Texas Horns, Rob McNelley, Stanton Moore, and Gordie Johnson of Canadian roots monsters, Big Sugar, among others. JW penned the entire album with fellow Canadian legends Dick Cooper and Johnson (who also produced).
“I am incredibly proud of these songs, and this music,” says Jones. “It is 100% original roots and blues with a variety of grooves, feels, and personal lyrics. This is a snapshot of who I am as a person, and where I am as an artist today.”
Everything Now features some heavyweight instrumental support: the legendary Jimmie Vaughan, The Texas Horns, Rob McNelley, Stanton Moore, and Aaron Sterling, and includes unchartered sonic territory for Jones with real strings on the exceptional “To Tell You the Truth (I Lied).”
The recordings were produced in Austin, Texas, with multi-platinum-selling artist Gordie Johnson, as well as in Ottawa, Canada, with long-time collaborator Eric Eggleston.
“Gordie and I met the old fashioned way, on Instagram during the pandemic,” relates Jones. “After meeting for lunch many months later in Austin and visiting his studio, I was enamored by his passion and process of creating new music, which led to working together. He’s a total freak talent as a producer, guitarist, singer, bassist, drummer, keyboards – you name it – everyone knows that… but more than that, he’s an incredible guy. He’s got such a chill and wise vibe, and I learned more about how to be a more emotionally- balanced human than I have from just about anyone else. I look up to him in so many ways.”
For JW-Jones, the Everything Now recording sessions highlights are many, starting with Jimmie Vaughan. “Recording with Jimmie Vaughan, my biggest living influence, is a childhood dream come true, and his king-of-cool vibe leaps out of the speakers on the track, “Take Your Time.”
“Since I was 15 years old, I’ve dreamed about trading riffs with Jimmie Vaughan, and some 25 years later, that dream came true when Jimmie came over to Gordie’s studio. Talk about a ‘bucket list’? Unbelievable! I am so grateful for his support and generosity.”
“Songs – It’s all about the songs!” adds Jones, whose searing axemanship has been praised in recent years by legendary blues artists Buddy Guy and Chuck Leavell (The Rolling Stones). “While there are plenty of burning lead guitar solos on the new album, I wanted to open up and get more personal than ever with the lyrics. From the true story, ‘Papa’s in the Pen,’ to ‘When You Left,’ that I sang with tears rolling down my cheeks about my mother’s passing, these are stories that I feel like I can finally share through my music.”
The Texas Horns are long-time friends and frequent touring buddies.
“Texas Horns leader Kaz Kazanoff has been a friend for a couple of decades, since we first played together at the Ottawa Blues Festival in 2002. When we’re in Austin, he opens his home to my entire band, and I’ve always wanted to get The Texas Horns on a record. Since I was already in Austin working with Gordie Johnson, it was easy for Kaz, Al Gomez, and John Mills to visit the studio to record. They brought the perfect feel to the most heartfelt song on the record, ‘When you Left.’ It means so much to me to have The Texas Horns be part of such a special song.”
“And what can I say about Rob McNelley? He’s a multi-ACM winner of the guitarist of the year, toured with Bob Seger, first-call studio guitarist for Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Buddy Guy, Kingfish, Joe Bonamassa, and many more, and he appeared on my JUNO-nominated Belmont Boulevard record in 2014. During the pandemic, we had a wonderful Zoom video-call to discuss how to create unique rhythm guitar parts for various styles of roots music, and it led to Rob cutting a track for ‘My Luck,’ which I was working on at the time. His tone and feel throughout gave the song a bounce that took it to a totally new level!”
“Three of the best drummers in the world are also on this album; Aaron Sterling – session drummer to the stars (John Mayer, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles. Lady A, and many more), Stanton Moore (New Orleans drumming master, and the best drummer I’ve ever seen live, period.), and shuffle king Jason Corbiere (tours with Jimmie Vaughan). I even played drums on a track (‘Keeping Me Up’)!”
Listen to Everything Now below and learn more about JW-Jones via our mini-interview.
Care to introduce yourself?
I am JW-Jones, a Canadian bluesy rootsy singer and guitarist.
Tell us about the process of writing “Keeping Me Up?”
This started with the line “I hear you talking in your sleep”, and then I started developing the idea of my partner talking about another man. I had a riff in mind, and a crazy guitar effect that I knew I wanted to use on it, but it needed more. That’s where producer Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar) came in. We sat outdoors in the blazing Texas heat last August and brought it to life. Gordie has a theory that better ideas are born out of a bit of suffering, and I get that now. I absolutely love what he did with the mix on this, and he plays wicked bass, keys, and added backup vocals, while I contributed the drum track in addition to the lead vocal and guitar. There’s a music video debuting in the coming weeks.
What’s it like being a musician in Ottawa?
I was born and raised here in the nation’s fine capital. It’s a beautiful city. There are a ton of wicked musicians here, and no shortage of opportunities. Blues clubs like the Rainbow Bistro and festivals like Ottawa Bluesfest have been integral in terms of my development and networking over the years. People used to suggest I move to Texas, L.A., or New York City to be able to find success, but I have always maintained that it doesn’t really matter where you hang your hat – you have to bring your music to the people and go on tour. Here I am twenty-something years into my career, and I would say that was the right call, for me anyway.
Who was the first Canadian artist to blow you away?
I would say it’s a tie between two vinyl records of my parents that I would spin – Bryan Adams and Colin James. Both of them are great guitarists and singers, and both of them have seen rock success but they love blues, too. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have spent some time with both of them, and Colin appeared on my 2004 release ‘My Kind of Evil’ which was produced by Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Now, nearly twenty years later… the other founder of the legendary Texas-grown band is a guest on my new record Everything Now.
You’ve been making music for a while now, what’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
It’s all about networking, and making things happen for yourself. If you think a label or agent is going to come knocking and bring your career to the next level, you’d be wrong 99% of the time. Work on your craft. Learn the business and spend as much time on that as you do music in the beginning. Plan everything as if you’re the only one you can rely on. If you get lucky and someone sweeps you off your feet, you’ll already possess the skills you need, and you’ll be ready!