Joanna Connor

Joanna Connor covers the range of modern blues, slide guitar and blues rock with her own compositions influenced by funk, rock, jazz and world music, as well as the Delta blues. Her sense of melody, phrasing and dynamics, along with a very modern technique, make her a soulful compelling guitarist.

She also has become an accomplished singer, but her first love is guitar playing and it shows during live shows and on recordings. The Joanna Connor Band is a featured act at major festivals in the United States and Canada; and has developed a strong following in Europe, South America and Japan.

Brooklyn-born, Massachusetts-raised Connor got her first guitar at age 7, started playing in bands at 16 and moved to Chicago at 22. Soon after her arrival, she began sitting in with Chicago regulars James Cotton, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy and A.C. Reed. She hooked up with Johnny Littlejohn's group for a short time before being asked by Dion Payton to join his 43rd Street Blues Band. She performed with Payton at the 1987 Chicago Blues Festival and, later that year, she put together own band together. In the years since, she has blossomed into a gifted blues songwriter, strongly influenced by greats including Luther Allison.