Joanne Shaw Taylor

Joanne Shaw Taylor

Joanne Shaw Taylor is a British blues guitarist and singer from the United Kingdom, born in 1986 and raised in England’s Black Country. She begins playing guitar as a young teenager and develops an early interest in blues music. By the age of 14, she tours the UK with her own band and later plays leading clubs including Ronnie Scott’s and the Marquee.

Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics discovers her when she is 16 and goes on to tour Europe with her in the supergroup D.U.P., alongside Stewart, Candy Dulfer, Mudbone Cooper and Jimmy Cliff. Her playing and singing are described as combining strong guitar work with soulful, smoky vocals, and her style also draws on roots and pop influences.

Collaborations and performance

Taylor performs at major European festivals and shares stages with artists including B.B. King. She also sits in on one of Bill Wyman’s recording sessions, and she writes with Bruce McCabe and with Kevin Bowe, who has also worked with Jonny Lang, Etta James and Paul Westerberg.