"Preserving blues, and acoustic music in general, is crucial to our society’s mental health. It’s a world away from computers, television, traffic, and troubling political events. There are some folks in this world who don’t understand blues music. I always try to remind them that blues is not about giving in to adversity but overcoming it. It has always been a celebration of life, even in life’s difficult times."

John 'Greyhound' Maxwell:

Respect the Roots and History

John “Greyhound” Maxwell brings his singular approach to slide guitar and mandolin, paying homage to the craft and tradition of the masters, while infusing the music with fresh energy.  With an approach that is authentic and understated, Maxwell plays with the warmth and dexterity of someone who has loved the blues over a lifetime. Indeed, his education began as a teenager after seeing B.B. King play a set in Chicago in 1971. At Chicago’s historic Old Town School of Folk Music he took lessons from a young Johnny Long, himself a student of Homesick James. When Maxwell left for college in St. Louis, he originally studied classical, but grew restless and eventually fronted a blues trio. He counts himself lucky enough to have mingled with blues legends Tommy Bankhead and Henry Townsend, with whom he later shared the stage and formed a friendship. Wagon Of Tales (2024), the new album from John "Greyhound" Maxwell, shows just how embedded acoustic country blues are in the roots of American folk music. Recorded live-in-studio, the intimacy of the album captures a true back porch feeling; as if you're just relaxing on a rocker, sipping some whiskey, and watching the magic unfold.

(John 'Greyhound' Maxwell / Photo by Crystal Craig)

Maxwell's slide and mandolin work is an homage to the greats, but infused with modern sensibilities. As well-known as he is for his mastery on those instruments, his smooth and assured vocals resonate in a way that can only be described as timeless. But at the root of it all is Maxwell's craft as a songwriter. Listening to Wagon Of Tales is like picking up on an old conversation; you remember where you were, but you're also very much in the present and looking to the future. Just as Muddy gave us Real Folk Blues, John "Greyhound" Maxwell is real blues folk.

Interview by Michael Limnios             Special Thanks: Larry Kay (Night Train PR)

How has the music influenced your views of the world? What moment changed your life the most?

Music has been a part of my life for as long as I remember. My father in particular had a wide range of taste in music. I have distinct memories of hearing Pete Seeger, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Brubeck, popular movie soundtracks of the time, and lots of classical music. Our household was filled as well with books, many of which I can still recall by the patterns of the spines on the shelf. These things instilled in us the importance of curiosity and creativity, of empathy for others. Music, to me, is a constant reminder of our connection to each other, to the universe. One moment where I was hit by the power of music was perhaps thirty years ago while driving home from work and listening to a classical music radio station. A piece came on that I hadn’t heard since I was a child. It hit me with such a powerful emotion that it immediately brought me to tears. I sat in the driveway until the announcer came on to identify what he had played. It turned out to be a movement from Dvorak’s New World Symphony which I likely first heard as a very small child. A moment like that restores my faith in humankind. In spite of all of our shortcomings, we as a species have the ability to create such beauty.

How do you describe your sound, music philosophy and songbook? Where does your creative drive come from?

This is a challenging question! My sound is strongly rooted in folk and blues but it is also, perhaps subliminally, colored by everything I’ve done in my past. Folk, blues, country, some jazz, rock and even several years of punk - which explains my tinnitus! My philosophy is simple: respect the history of the music and play from the heart. This affects my song choices as well. If I can’t feel the song in a personal way, I won’t play it. In regard to creative drive, it simply makes me happy to play. If I can hint at those who inspire me, then I am being successful.      (John 'Greyhound' Maxwell / Photo by Crystal Craig)

"I believe that is the daily quest of an artist, something that is constantly changing. I would go back to my earlier statements about playing from the heart and playing to make myself happy. What better example can I set for a new generation of players? (I’m starting to sound like an old guy!)"

What´s been the highlights in your career so far? Are there any memories with Tommy Bankhead and Henry Townsend which you’d like to share with us?

Despite the fact that I worked “day jobs” for many years, I am blessed to have had many highlights in my music career. I went to college in St. Louis, Missouri, where I had the great fortune to run into Tommy Bankhead and Henry Townsend. In a scene straight out of The Blues Brothers, my friend and I ventured up to North St Louis to a club named Sadie’s Personality Bar. I somehow found the nerve to ask if I could sit in and Tommy graciously said yes. At the end of the first song Tommy turned to me and said, “Where did you come from?” I met Henry Townsend at a place called BB’s Jazz Blues and Soups when my band was performing there. Someone told me Henry was upstairs if I wanted to meet him and of course I ran upstairs. I ended up at Henry’s home that night where he played me many 78’s he had played on as far back as 1929. We played for a couple of hours, and I spent the night on the couch in his living room. In the morning his wife made us breakfast as if this was a regular occurrence in their home, which it was! He was a kind and generous man who loved to share his life with young players. I believe Alvin Youngblood Hart and Catfish Keith had similar experiences with Henry. Other more recent highlights for me were opening for Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo, Ruthie Foster, David Lindley, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliot.

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

What do I miss about music of the past? In the age before digitalization, musicians played together in the moment. Certainly, that still happens in the acoustic blues world but sadly it is a struggle to find that spontaneity in popular music. Digital editing is a remarkable tool, but it allows a producer to “Frankenstein” a track and remove all humanity in the process. Perfection is an overrated goal that kills the soul of a piece of music. My hope is that we will eventually use the digital process in a way that retains the natural breath of the music.                 (John 'Greyhound' Maxwell / Photo by Crystal Craig)

"My philosophy is simple: respect the history of the music and play from the heart. This affects my song choices as well. If I can’t feel the song in a personal way, I won’t play it. In regard to creative drive, it simply makes me happy to play. If I can hint at those who inspire me, then I am being successful." (John 'Greyhound' Maxwell / Photo by Crystal Craig)

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

As I approach the age of 70 there are three important lessons I’ve learned that took some time. One being that you should play from your heart; play to make yourself happy, not to please others. If you play from your heart, some folks will come with you on your voyage and others will pass by in their own world, marching to a different drummer so to speak. That is only natural and good. Accepting that is important. The second lesson, the importance of silence and space. One well-placed note can say more than a flurry of scales. Thirdly, dynamics! An entire set of playing at volume 11 wears out the listener, where appropriate dynamics pulls them in and makes them have to listen and stay with you on the voyage.

Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues? What is the role of music in today’s society?

Preserving blues, and acoustic music in general, is crucial to our society’s mental health. It’s a world away from computers, television, traffic, and troubling political events. There are some folks in this world who don’t understand blues music. I always try to remind them that blues is not about giving in to adversity but overcoming it. It has always been a celebration of life, even in life’s difficult times. Playing and singing about it takes the power of troubles away and turns them into something expressive and lovely, ideally in a personal way. It can keep us grounded in an increasingly crazy world.

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

How to stay relevant to a new generation is an interesting question. I believe that is the daily quest of an artist, something that is constantly changing. I would go back to my earlier statements about playing from the heart and playing to make myself happy. What better example can I set for a new generation of players? (I’m starting to sound like an old guy!)

"Music, to me, is a constant reminder of our connection to each other, to the universe."

(John 'Greyhound' Maxwell / Photo by Crystal Craig)

What touched you from the sound of slide guitar? What are the secrets of bottleneck slide guitar?

My very first guitar lesson at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago was a basic introduction to strumming folk songs. On leaving that very first day I heard the sound of bottleneck guitar on a National steel. My ears perked up immediately and I found Johnny Long, at the advanced age of maybe 23, making this beautiful sound! I knew at that moment it was what I wanted to do. There is a haunting vocal quality to slide guitar that spoke to my soul from that moment on. I took six classes from Johnny and we remain friends to this day, 51 years later. To my ear, the “secret” of slide guitar is a combination of proper intonation and utilizing the microtones that are available to you. My favorite players are Tampa Red, Robert Nighthawk, Earl Hooker. In modern day players it’s Ry Cooder, Sonny Landreth and Bonnie Raitt. It’s dangerous to start a list, where do you stop? I have to add George Harrison. He had a beautiful, lyrical touch. It thrills me when young people show an interest in slide. Its history is so fascinating and important, there’s no telling where it may go!

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