Favorite Rock & Blues Muse Interviews of 2023

By Martine Ehrenclou

What a year for outstanding blues, rock and roots music released in 2023. Artists and bands emerged from the pandemic with more energy and drive than ever and produced some of their best music to date.

I’ve had the privilege of talking with some of the most talented artists. Each one revealed something unexpected and fascinating about themselves. I’ve chosen eight of my favorite interviews done in 2023.

I like to dig a little deeper with most of the musicians I talk with. Or I try to anyway without being invasive. I find most of them too interesting to dig for dirt that gets recycled in major magazines. I’d much rather find out about their creative processes or about a particularly deep song they wrote that reflects issues in our society, or how their life is on the road because everyone’s experience is different.

Musicians are particularly fascinating because their lives are so different than most. I respect them, respect their talent, their commitment to their craft. Usually, it takes a few minutes in my interviews to get to the good stuff after the artist has settled in some. So, read on past the first few paragraphs.

I can’t imagine performing for 50,000 people. Samantha Fish revealed that she still gets stage fright before going on stage. I asked her how she handles that in this year’s interview. She was forthcoming and honest, which made me respect her all the more. To talk with artists who are authentic with their passions or vulernabilities beyond the initial focus on their new albums or singles or tours, is a gift. Many of these artists did that. And that, is what I believe makes an interview special.

I hope you enjoy these interviews from 2023. They’re eight of my favorites.

Warren Haynes
Grammy winning artist and guitar legend Warren Haynes is regarded as one of the most formidable guitarists and vocalists of the modern era. A prolific songwriter and producer, his music career includes leading the Grammy nominated Gov’t Mule band for the last two decades, guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band and The Dead. Haynes is also an acclaimed solo artist and considered one of music’s most treasured storytellers. With Gov’t Mule, his album Heavy Load Blues is nominated for a 2024 Grammy Award. Haynes has been nominated for a Grammy nine times.
Read Interview Here

Samantha Fish
A multi award-winning blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, Samantha Fish is one of the most dynamic blues and rock forces in the world. She’s known for her electrifying live performances and finesse on the fretboard. A multi award winner, her seventh album, and first with Jesse Dayton, Death Wish Blues is nominated for a 2024 Grammy Award. Delving into multiple genres such as rock, blues, country, and more, she embraces where her spirit moves her musically. She’s regarded as a bad*ss musician and performer with many albums to her name.
Read Interview Here

Ana Popovic
It’s always nice when you immediately click with an artist. Sometimes musicians take a few minutes to warm up but not Ana Popovic. The internationally acclaimed, multi award winning contemporary blues guitarist, singer and songwriter was open, upfront and warm right from the start our interview. She’d had a helluva year overcoming breast cancer and was forthcoming about her process and the important people in her life who helped her through. Originally from Serbia and now based in Manhattan Beach, CA, Ana Popovic has appeared on covers of Vintage Guitar and Guitar Player magazines and topped the Billboard charts numerous times. Two of her albums were named “Pick of the Week” by USA Today, and is an eight-time Blues Music Award nominee and this year she received her own star on the Blues Walk of Fame. Her new album Power was #1 on the Billboards Blues Charts.
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Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Five-time Grammy nominated blues-rock guitarist, multi-platinum artist Kenny Wayne Shepherd is regarded as an incendiary and soulful player, singer and songwriter. A riveting live performer, Shepherd is one of the most talented and distinctive guitarists of our time. He recently released ‘Dirt On My Diamonds Vol. 1’ which sees Shepherd’s evocative lyrics and emotional depth in conjunction with his flat-out blistering guitar riffs. We talked about his deep love of the blues and blues history by way of his documentary 10 Days Out: Blues From The Backroads which spawned his ‘Backroads Blues Festival’ featuring Joe Bonamassa, Eric Gales, Bobby Rush and more.
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Christone Kingfish Ingram
Not only is Christone Kingfish Ingram he an electrifying blues and rock guitarist, singer and songwriter, but the Grammy winner is also a lot of fun to talk to. The young blues superstar has already headlined multiple U.S. and European tours, opened for The Rolling Stones, performed and toured with Vampire Weekend, Jason Isbell, Steve Miller and Buddy Guy, with whom he appeared on Austin City Limits. He made his own appearance on CBS Saturday Morning and was interviewed in Forbes, The Washington Post, and was featured in Guitar World, Guitar Player, and more. In addition to his Grammy Award win, Ingram has earned 10 Blues Music Awards. His latest release Live In London is out on Alligator Records and is nominated for a Grammy Award. I highly recommend you have a listen.
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Joe Bonamassa
By Simon Green for Rock & Blues Muse, it is a fascinating interview of the three-time Grammy nominated blues-rock giant. Green’s questions prompted openness from Bonamassa, and a certain candidness that makes this interview a good read. Joe is probably the most recognizable artist in blues-rock and also the one of the busiest . He created Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation to support music education. In addition, he created Journeyman Records for exceptional independent artists.
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Tommy Emmanuel
Tommy Emmanuel. Just his name brings to mind extraordinary guitar playing. But it also brings something else—joy. To separate his talent from his enthusiasm when performing live or in the studio, is nearly impossible. Sure, you’re amazed by his ability to play three parts simultaneously on guitar. It would take three musicians to do what Tommy does solo. But there’s much more to Tommy Emmanuel than multi-dimensional arrangements on guitar. As one of the greatest guitarists in the world, the Australian-born Tommy Emmanuel makes his guitar sing much like a vocalist—with true heart and soul. From multiple Grammy nominations to ARIA Awards, IBMA Awards and countless “Best Acoustic Guitarist” wins, Emmanuel was awarded the honor of Certified Guitar Player (CGP) by none other than his guitar hero Chet Atkins.
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Danny Kortchmar (The Immediate Family)
Legendary guitarist, songwriter and record producer Danny Kortchmar as part of The Section, played on almost every iconic album in the 70s by artists such as Don Henley, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Carole King, James Taylor, Crosby Stills & Nash, Stevie Nicks, Keith Richards, Phil Collins, David Crosby and more. As part of The Section, Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel, Leland Sklar and drummer Russ Kunkel, were considered ‘musician’s musicians’. They were the Los Angeles-based musical heavyweights behind the scenes with the famous artists of the singer-songwriter era. In 2020 Kortchmar, Wachtel, Kunkel, Sklar and newest guitarist/singer/songwriter Steve Postell, formed their own rock and roll supergroup called The Immediate Family. The band has released two EPs (Slippin’ and Slidin’, Can’t Stop Progress), two albums (self-titled) and Skin In the Game that will coincide with the release of the multi award-winning The Immediate Family Documentary Film out December 12, 2023
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Favorite Rock & Blues Muse Interviews of 2023.

As always, I welcome your comments.