Rather than simply roll up to those fabled crossroads of blues lore, JD Simo builds a bridge by hand. The Chicago-born and Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer connects the missing link between Motown and Woodstock as he fuses fluid and fiery fretwork with vital and vulnerable vocals.
Logging hundreds of gigs annually, he has collaborated with Jack White, Tommy Emmanuel, Luther Dickinson, Blackberry Smoke, and more. Not to mention, he graced the bills of festivals, including Bonnaroo, Warren Haynes Christmas Jam, and Mountain Jam. Phil Lesh, iconic co-founder of The Grateful Dead, invited him to join Phil Lesh and Friends.
Meanwhile, JD’s 2019 solo album, Off At 11, incited fan fervor and tastemaker praise. Throughout 2019, he maximized rare time off to write what would become JD Simo. Returning home after 150 gigs, he worked out of a “funky little eight-track studio” in his house. When it came time to record, he sought out a co-producer for the first time. Enlisting Eddie Spear behind the board, he recorded the album to tape in just three days during January 2020.
And then, the pandemic hit. He spent lockdown playing virtually, and from there his third solo album, Mind Control, was born — the product of like-minded musicians using the creative process for therapy and the fun of playing music. The record was written and recorded by JD at the House of Grease, Nashville, TN.
ABS is proud to premiere the video for the second single from Mind Control. “That’s When You Know You’re Down” is a guitar-driven, blues-based psychedelic rocker that echoes the avant-garde sound of early Captain Beefheart — affording the listener imaginative thrills.
Of the song, JD shares with us:
I wrote “That’s When You Know You’re Down” late one night after to listening to a bunch of Captain Beefheart. It’s definitely got a lot of his influence. The riff itself is a take off of an old Magic Sam kind of thing. The song is a meld of those two worlds, I suppose. Love how it turned out!
JD will be taking to his second home, the road, by embarking on his 51 stop Fall/Winter nationwide tour. Dates below.
SEP 30 – THU Mercury Lounge New York, NY
OCT 1 – FRI Bank of New Hampshire Concord, NH
OCT 2 – SAT Narrows Center For the Arts Fall River, MA
OCT 3 – SUN Daryl’s House Pawling, NY
OCT 5 – TUE The Linda WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio Albany, NY
OCT 6 – WED Buffalo Iron Works Buffalo, NY
OCT 7 – THU Abilene Rochester, NY
OCT 8 – FRI King of Clubs Syracuse, NY
OCT 9 – SAT Thunderbird Cafe Pittsburgh, PA
OCT 10 – SUN The King of Clubs Columbus, OH
OCT 12 – TUE Grand Theater Wausau, WI
OCT 13 – WED Shank Hall Milwaukee, WI
OCT 14 – THU The Washington Burlington, IA
OCT 15 – FRI Jazz Up Front Bloomington, IL
OCT 16 – SAT Martyrs’ Chicago, IL
OCT 17 – SUN Dakota Minneapolis, MN
OCT 19 – TUE Magic Bag Ferndale, MI
OCT 20 – WED Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH
OCT 21 – THU Motr Pub Cincinnati, OH
OCT 30 – SAT HMAC Stage on Herr Fairhope, AL
NOV 2 – TUE Knuckleheads Saloon Kansas City, MO
NOV 4 – THU Larimer Lounge Denver, CO
NOV 5 – FRI Chipper’s College Lanes Fort Collins, CO
NOV 6 – SAT The Animas City Theatre Durango, CO
NOV 7 – SUN Launchpad Albuquerque, NM
NOV 9 – TUE 191 Toole Tucson, AZ
NOV 10 – WED Rhythm Room Phoenix, AZ
NOV 11 – THU Coach House Concert Hall San Juan Capistrano, CA
NOV 12 – FRI The Siren Morro Bay, CA
NOV 13 – SAT The Mint Los Angeles, CA
NOV 14 – SUN Soda Bar San Diego, CA
NOV 16 – TUE Felton Music Hall Felton, CA
NOV 17 – WED Cornerstone Craft Beer & Live Music Berkeley, CA
NOV 18 – THU Humboldt Brews Arcata, CA
NOV 19 – FRI Wow Hall Eugene, OR
NOV 20 – SAT The Jack London Revue Portland, OR
NOV 21 – SUN The Crocodile Seattle, WA
JAN 7 – FRI City Winery Nashville, TN
JAN 8 – SAT Revolution Music Room Little Rock, AR
JAN 10 – MON Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery
Connect with JD Simo:
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*Feature image credit: Adam Abrashoff
