When Joe Bonamassa recently sent a shoutout to young blues singer-songwriter Jesse Williams, it was a signal that she must be doing things right. Up till now she’s released songs including Off the Vine, See It Through and These Days on an independent basis – but with Bonamassa’s vocal support, have any major labels become interested?
“If they have, they’ve kept it to themselves!” says Dahlonega, Georgia resident Williams. She continues: “My instincts lean towards remaining independent. If a grassroots label reached out to me and we hit it off, I’d be interested. I’d want my music in the hands of someone I’d break bread with.”
Closer to the top of her to-do list is to thank Bonamassa in person. “I haven’t yet gotten the chance to meet him and chat. I do plan to – I just have to keep steady at it.”
What inspired you to pick up the guitar?
“Watching my family play music as a wee babe inspired my journey. I was a moth to a flame, watching as they all fell into sync together, grooving at a DNA level. Seeing my father play guitar and my papaw play bass in The End of the Trail Band was magic.
“They let me play cowbell and tambourine; I loved trying to lock in with them. I especially loved being a part of something so special. I played the violin for a little while, but it didn’t last. I didn’t pick up the guitar until the summer before seventh grade – 15 years ago now. My papaw strung up an acoustic quarter guitar and showed me a D chord. I haven’t put it down since.”
How did your local scene shape you?
“I never really found my scene locally. I’ve driven a many miles to network at jams and open mics, and I’ve made important connections that way. But for several years I’ve been incubating here on the mountain, refining my sound and digging at the root of it.”
What got you into the blues?
“Being born into the family was a straight pipeline. My childhood soundtrack was the End of the Trail Band, Bonnie Raitt, Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers, B.B. King, Jimmy Reed, Janis Joplin, Susan Tedeschi...
“I studied and stuck with those artists. After listening to just about everything of theirs, I started finding other musicians. That jumping-off point was important – finding music that wasn’t passed down to me; my own personal discoveries.”
Do you see yourself as strictly a blues guitarist?
“Not at all. There are so many sounds, genres and guitarists whose voices move me. Every note I play is blending and borrowing from ’70s Southern rock, psychedelic jam, Appalachian folk and fingerpicking, jazz, world sounds, Eastern raga and blues.”
Which of your songs means the most to you?
“Each song is a chapter; some are evergreen and always feel true. Quit Quiet is one of those – it’s the first single I released from my debut record and a true heart-on-the-sleeve offering.
“The title track, Keep Steady, also holds a special place in my heart. I wrote it the day after losing the first round of the Eddie’s Attic Songwriter Shootout in 2023. I competed two more times; last time I won with the song I wrote after losing!
“A few recently completed works that really excite me are called Right Track and Stay the Course. They were both written post-studio, and there’s a sonic style coming through that feels fresh and different.”
What gear are you into now?
“I’m playing with the call-and-response in my setup – a Gibson SG, Fender Deluxe Reverb, and Ibanez Tube Screamer. It took several years to add a pedal; I’ve never really looked into gear. It’s uncharted territory that I’m excited to sniff around in.
“I’ve always been a bit of a purist about having minimal gear: guitar, amp and fingers. That’s from loving guitarists with clean, honeyed tones like Derek Trucks and Dickey Betts.
You’re basically your own label these days; it’s a lot of hats to wear. But it can be worked to endless advantages
“My earliest influences are Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix, so I do love the sounds and styles milked out of fuzzy sustain and psychedelic effects. Recently I’ve been dipping my toes into playing with wilder pedals. That’s a byproduct of going into the studio last November.
“My engineer, Kristofer Sampson, has encouraged me to explore and it’s been eye-opening. I still believe the foundation of a guitar’s voice begins in the hands. Anything you use to build the sound from there will matter because you choose it.”
Was Joe Bonamassa’s shoutout a surprise?
“A true surprise! And to be shouted out alongside Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ to boot? I have their records! That felt surreal. It meant confirmation that the music I’m creating is reaching ears far and wide.
“You don’t know who’s listening. It’s easy to make assumptions about how you believe things are going. It’s easy to give in to that doubt about your labor and its fruits. Being acknowledged in that post gave me a feeling of peace and alignment.”
What are the greatest challenges of being a young musician?
“I’d say it’s remembering to slow down and enjoy the privilege of making a living at being yourself. It takes a lot of discipline to not compare your ‘success’ to others. It’s easy to gloss over all the work and devotion you’ve poured into your craft.
“Especially while constantly chasing the ever-moving goalpost – wins are seldom savored because time’s ticking and what’s next? Combine that with needing to keep up in the race of creating content, establishing your brand and connecting with your audiences.
“Then there’s pushing your recorded works in a world where attention spans are ever-shrinking, then booking and promoting shows. You’re basically your own label these days; it’s a lot of hats to wear. But it’s also a major tool that can be worked to endless advantages. I have a lot of room for improvement in that area.”
How do you plan to move forward?
“I’ll come back to the root of all this madness, which is a forever love of music. However many times it takes, when you love your art, you’ll keep digging.”
- The Jesse Williams Band is on tour now. Debut album Keep Steady will be released in August.
