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Artist
John Lisi
12+ albums
blues
about
Stephen Stills once said that the “one thing blues ain’t is funny.” Obviously Mr. Stills has never sat in on an evening with John Lisi who, along with his band DeltaFUNK, has made a career of turning the pitfalls of everyday life into funky-bluesy-body-shakin’ music that just makes a person feel better. Hailed as one of the best guitarists in Louisiana by Offbeat magazine—quite a compliment in a state known for its musicians—John marries his sometimes humorous, sometimes serious lyrics with a guitar that can cry the blues one minute and break out the funk the next. Originally from New Jersey and influenced by the roots music that was popular in his hometown, John began writing songs before he could play his first chord on a guitar. But it was when he first saw a replay of Woodstock that the direction of his life became charted. He watched in awe as Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townsend and Alvin Lee wailed on their guitars with unbelievable technique. Already proficient on the trumpet, the young musician knew then that he wanted to learn to play music like that. By the time he was 13 years old, John had made his way to Florida and was fronting a band of much older musicians, honing the skill that would later become his trademark. Then it was on to Los Angeles, where stints with blues, funk, rockabilly swing, reggae, rock and even metal bands would lead to the montage of genres that defines his music today. He also spent time in television studios doing guitar work for popular shows
