Page 72 - Classic Rock (January 2020)

I got to tap into Joe’s audience. Before that I wrote
a song with Slash [Mother Maria from the iTunes
verions of the album Slash, 2010].

You performed with Jeff Beck in front of President
Obama at the Kennedy Center Opera House in
a tribute to Buddy Guy. What was that like?
It was something special. There were senators,
movie stars. Aretha Franklin was there. Meryl
Streep. And after this special dinner you stand
in line and Hillary Clinton was there to greet
you. I was blown away, but instead of calling her
“Madame Senator” or whatever the hell you’re
supposed to say, I just said “Oh, wow!” And she
just looked disgusted like I was this white trash
girl. And she’s like “OK, right, move along.” My
husband and my manager [David Wolff] were
really worried about the show, but I didn’t feel
nervous at all. I said to them “Dude, the win
has already happened. We’ve had this amazing
experience. Even if I go out and suck balls it
doesn’t matter.”

“MY MIND KICKED You’ve done some huge, emotionally charged
shows. Is there a favourite that you remember
from the decade?
Every single show, tiny or large, if my mind is
UP A BIT THIS YEAR” good, it’s my favourite show that I’ve ever done.

If I’m not good in my head, then I’m terrified –
which is how it was when I did the Royal Albert
Hall show that went out on DVD. My mother
Rock'n’soul powerhouse Beth Hart reflects on a decade of was there, and I thought I blew that show. I was
surreal highs, painful lows and finding peace with gardening. so ashamed I couldn’t look at the edit without
crying. I was so upset and disappointed with it.
Interview: David Sinclair
Who have been your favourite acts to listen to
t was a decade that encompassed the best of movement and Harvey Weinstein and all that trip, over this decade?
times and the worst of times, which is how brought up some old, old stuff that I never really I love Florence And The Machine. Her
it has always been for Beth Hart. At the start addressed before. I was doing a lot of sit-down songwriting is really special. Unique. And she’s
of it she was playing the Borderline, London interviews and it freaked me out. I got suicidal. It such a captivating vocalist as well. Totally her
I (capacity 300) and by the end of it she had was bad. And I was scared. And I guess that's good own sound. My favourite singer is Melody
played the Royal Albert Hall and the Ziggo Dome, I was scared. They say when you stop being scared Gardot, an American who lives in France. She’s
Amsterdam (capacity 17,000). Maintaining an and you start being happy about it that's when a gorgeous, sexy, songwriter, singer, jazz artist.
incredible work rate, she released 11 albums – five you're going to do it. But thankfully I've got good And Lana Del Rey. Her songwriting blows my
studio and two live albums of her own, plus doctors and I've got a great husband and people mind.
another three studio and one live album with Joe around me that help me get through it. So I upped
Bonamassa – and topped the US Blues album chart my meds and I got off the road and came home Did you get any new tattoos in the last decade?
five times. She met President Obama and Hillary and got in the garden and I started feeling better. No. I'm not allowed to get any more tattoos. I got
Clinton. She bought her first house and my last one when I was 35 [in 2007].
took up gardening. She stayed sober and My husband won't let me. He is a very
remained happily married to Scott strong personality. He's very kind
Guetzkow, the whole decade. And she “Every single show, tiny or large, and very fair. I really got so blessed to
renewed contact with her father who if my mind is good, it’s my favourite have that man. I know what it's like to
had been absent from her life since she have cruel men. And I also know what
was six years old. On the downside, she show. If I’m not good in my head, it's like to be a cruel woman. So he is
was devastated by the death of Amy teaching me a lot about unconditional
Winehouse in 2011: “It reminded me of then I’m terrified.” love and compassion and patience and
my sister Sharon dying [of AIDS] all tenderness. He didn't have much to
over again.” And a five-week promo run of TV, What have been the musical high points for you work with when he met me.
radio and press in support of her 2019 album War over the last ten years?
In My Mind left her teetering close to the edge. Working with Rob Cavallo [producer of War In My Do you have faith in the future?
Mind] has been a high point. And working with Some days no. But then I have days where I'm
How has 2019 worked out for you? Kevin Shirley, who produced the albums I did just overwhelmed by the magic of everything
It's been an intense year. My mind kicked up a bit with Joe Bonamassa and my Bang Bang Boom Boom and everyone: animals, nature, music, cooking,
this year. And I think it had to do with some of album [2012]. Up until I worked with Kevin and fishing, gardening, jumping off cliffs [into the
the subject matter I've been addressing on War In Joe, I’d only really done my own songs. I was so sea], forgiveness, understanding, surviving, fully
My Mind, which I hadn't really addressed before. excited to be figuring out a lot of old jazz and blues living, I mean the list goes on and on and on. And
One song in particular, Woman Down, which came records for the first time. I was in my mid-thirties it's great. It's worth getting through that funk
from watching that Michael Jackson documentary and I felt like I was five years old. It really changed because I know on the other side of the funk I'm
and then all the talk about the whole women's my life as a performer and ultimately my career. gonna appreciate that light so much.

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