Critically acclaimed British guitarist and singer songwriter, Joanne Shaw Taylor, universally hailed as the UK’s premiere blues rock guitarist, is announcing the release of her sixth studio full-length record The Blues Album on Friday September 24, 2021. Today she also shares a new single, Let Me Down Easy along with a companion music video.

Rock At Night says:  Joanne Shaw Taylor covers Little Milton’s “Let Me Down Easy” with the same faithfulness to the original Checker Records classic. The lyrics describe a man asking his lover, “You got somebody else on your mind/ I want you to please, oh please baby/ let me down easy.” Taylor’s raspy blues voice and Bonamassa’s understated guitar accompaniment blend perfect gospel soulfulness until three-quarters way through the song, Shaw rips into a mind-blowing lead guitar solo, showing off her skills as a guitarist as well. Thanks to Taylor and Bonamassa for bringing these 60s blues classics faithfully back to life faithfully with their own spin.

Joanne Shaw Taylor comments on the song “Let Me Down Easy” – “This song was written by Maurice Dollinson and was recorded by Little Milton as a single released by Checker Records in 1968,” says Joanne. “The following year it was released by Stax Records on Little Milton’s album Grits Ain’t Groceries. I wasn’t too familiar with Little Milton. Joe is responsible for opening my eyes and ears to him. I loved this song from the minute he sent it to me. It’s also the only version other than now mine that I’ve heard of it and I’m glad I didn’t hear to many versions and thus make it more complicated for myself or question how to sing it. I got a clear idea from listening to the Milton version how I would like to perform it.”

The Blues Album, the follow up to 2019’s critically acclaimed album Reckless Heart, features Josh Smith (guitar), Reese Wynans (keyboards), Greg Morrow (drums), Steve Mackey (bass), Steve Patrick (trumpet), Mark Douthit (sax), Barry Green (trombone). Joe Bonamassa plays guitar and sings on the track Don’t Go Away Mad.

The album will be released via Joe Bonamassa’s independent blues label KTBA Records. It was produced and recorded by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith at Ocean Way Studios in Nashville, Tennessee.

BIO

Joanne Shaw Taylor – Biography

Joanne Shaw Taylor was discovered by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics at the age of 16 who, having watched her play, immediately invited her on the road with his supergroup D.U.P. – a career in music was born and in the proceeding years, her incredible guitar playing saw her build an army of plaudits including Jimmy Cliff, Joe Bonamassa, Stevie Wonder and Annie Lennox.

Still only in her 30’s, she has become one of the most sought-after guitarists in the world of rock. She released her first album on Ruf Records entitled “White Sugar” (2009), unleashing her distinct soulful voice on the world, and demonstrating a song writing prowess way beyond her years – the world of blues rock had a new star! Over the next few years, she released critically acclaimed albums including her sophomore album “Diamonds In The Dirt” (2010), “Almost Always Never” (2012) which featured the UK radio hit “Soul Station”, plus her final album for Ruf Records – the live album “Songs From The Road” (2013).

In 2014 she released her fourth studio album “The Dirty Truth” on Axehouse Records that featured the singles “Mud, Honey” and “Wicked Soul”. In 2016, Joanne followed up with the release of her fifth album “Wild” (Produced by Kevin Shirley) which saw her perform songs “Dyin’ To Know” and “Summertime” on BBC Two Television’s popular music show “Later With Jools Holland”. Three years later, in 2019 she signed to Silvertone Records via Sony Music and released her sixth studio album, “Reckless Heart”.

Over the past two decades, Joanne has proven herself as a prolific songwriter, releasing seven acclaimed albums under her belt, each increasingly more successful with her 2019 “Reckless Heart” breaking into the UK Top 20 Album Chart and cementing herself as one of the most important exports in British blues-rock.

Her highly anticipated upcoming album is currently in the works. The new collection of songs was produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith at Oceanway Recording Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and will be released on Bonamassa’s KTBA Records on September 17, 2021.

Keeping the Blues Alive (KTBA) Records

JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR – SOCIAL MEDIA
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