“Music has the power to change the world. We’ve seen that throughout the civil rights movement in the United States, anti-war movements and anti-fascism movements. We see protest bands like the Russian band Pussy Riot banned by their own governments and put in prison because they’re found to be threatening to those in power.”

Debra Devi: The Language of the Blues

During the pandemic, Debra Devi started live-streaming from her Jersey City living room. This grew into her popular full-band “Jamification Station” livestream, broadcast bi-monthly from drummer John Roccesano's Hoboken recording studio, Silver Horse Sound. In June 2022, Debra released a live EP, Jamification Station Vol. 1, that she and John mixed from ProTools recordings of the livestream shows. Debra's previous EP,  A Zillion Stars Overhead was recorded after she met then-Gov't Mule bassist Jorgen Carlsson backstage at the Beacon, and Jorgen suggested they record together sometime. She's opened for Joan Osborne, Jesse Malin, Ana Popovic, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Joe Louis Walker and Marshall Crenshaw. In 2014, Debra's passion for the blues led her to write The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to Zuzu (foreword by Dr. John) which won the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for Outstanding Book on Music. The book is blurbed by Bonnie Raitt, Joe Bonamassa, Hal Willner, Bob Margolin and Jimmy Vivino. Debra gives her “Language of the Blues” talk at colleges, clubs and festivals.

(Debra Devi / Photo by John Loreaux)

Debra fell in love with electric guitar as a girl, listening to her teenage neighbor play Led Zeppelin while he worked on his car, and her brother’s rock albums. Growing up in that Milwaukee suburb, though, she got the message that only boys played in bands. When she saw Bonnie Raitt perform in college, Debra couldn’t stifle her longing to play anymore. She bought a Fender Mustang at a pawnshop and moved to NYC. She joined various punk, industrial and rock bands, touring the US, Canada and Europe. As a solo artist, Debra created a classic blues/rock sound that enables her to indulge her love of the guitar.

Interview by Michael Limnios                          Archive: Debra Devi, 2012 interview

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

Music has enabled me to travel a lot throughout the world. That has been its greatest impact on my views about the world. I met so many people in Europe in particular who were anti-fascist and fighting the neo Nazi movement. That was really important for me, as an American, to see. Especially now that we are fighting right wing fascism in our own country.

The moment that changed my music life the most was when I bought an electric guitar in a pawn shop in Madison Wisconsin after seeing Bonnie Raitt play. I had always wanted to play electric guitar but had been discouraged by people who said it wasn’t for girls. After seeing Bonnie play I couldn’t wait anymore. I had to buy a guitar.

How do you describe your sound, music philosophy and songbook? What's the balance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?

I think emotion always has to come first in music. Some of the greatest music ever made has been made by people with very limited technique. Their passion and what they had to say was so powerful that it touched people very deeply.

I started playing in punk bands because I had very little technique. And I love playing that music. It’s great!

My sound today has a strong 1970s Classic rock Vibe. I love the songwriting, the singing and the music production from that era very much. I’m also heavily influenced by the blues.

“I miss the rawness and power of real blues sometimes. But it’s being carried forward by an incredible new generation with artists like Kingfish, Mr Sipp, Cedric Burnside. I think it’s in good hand with these new artists whose roots are in the Delta. They will carry it forward into the future and inspire new generations with the power of the blues.” (Debra Devi / Photo by John Christou)

What keeps a musician passionate over the years in rock, blues? What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

Playing music is just so fun and such a powerful way to tap into my own emotions that I have never lost my passion for it. And I love to play to an audience and feel their energy and hope that I’m reaching them and helping them connect with their emotions.

As for relevance, I don’t really think about it. I just make the music that comes out of me.

How did the idea of book “The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to Zuzu” come about? Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues?

I got the idea for my book when I was writing about the blues for different magazines and I was wondering what words like mojo and hoodoo meant. I wondered what languages those words were from. I started to make a list and when I had about 100 words on my list I decided to write a book so that I could investigate them.

I began to interview as many elder blues artist as I could find to get their oral history about these words and their insights. I felt it was important to preserve that history before they passed away. I am really grateful to artists like Hubert Sumlin, Henry Gray, Robert Jr. Lockwood and Milton Campbell who took time out of their busy schedules to share remarkable stories and insights.

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

I miss the rawness and power of real blues sometimes. But it’s being carried forward by an incredible new generation with artists like Kingfish, Mr Sipp, Cedric Burnside. I think it’s in good hand with these new artists whose roots are in the Delta. They will carry it forward into the future and inspire new generations with the power of the blues.

“The moment that changed my music life the most was when I bought an electric guitar in a pawn shop in Madison Wisconsin after seeing Bonnie Raitt play. I had always wanted to play electric guitar but had been discouraged by people who said it wasn’t for girls. After seeing Bonnie play I couldn’t wait anymore. I had to buy a guitar.” (Debra Devi / Photos by Carissa Johnson)

What does to be a female artist in a Man’s World as James Brown says? What is the status of women in music?

Women are really exploding in music today. I just have to open Instagram to see incredible female guitarists—really mind blowing players. We have finally been unleashed!

But we still face sexism regularly. I had a sound man at a festival recently ask me where my acoustic guitar was. When I explained to him that I was the electric guitar player in the band, he didn’t seem to believe me and kept asking where the electric guitarist was.

Recently, I had male music manager imply that the only reason blues artists gave me interviews was because I was female and they wanted to chat up a girl. Never mind the awards I have won for my writing and the books I have published.

But women are used to this crap. We shrug it off and don’t let it stop us.

What is the impact of music on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

Music has the power to change the world. We’ve seen that throughout the civil rights movement in the United States, anti-war movements and anti-fascism movements. We see protest bands like the Russian band Pussy Riot banned by their own governments and put in prison because they’re found to be threatening to those in power.

I want my music to stand for liberation in all its forms and I hope it helps people to feel more free.

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

The most important thing I’ve learned from being a musician and playing in bands is how to collaborate. How to respect other musicians and listen to their ideas. I really love playing with the guys in my band—John Roccesano (drums), Kevin Jones (bass) and Brian Rigby (keys)—because they’re such great musicians and they bring so much to every song that I bring to them. They elevate everything that I am trying to do. Music creates community. It brings joy. There’s really nothing better.

What are you working on and looking forward to in 2026?

I'm looking forward to the April 2026 publication of Jesse Malin's book, Almost Grown--A New York Memoir, which I co-authored. It's a wonderful story, and is available for pre-order now from Akashic Books. I recorded a cover of one of Jesse's songs that is coming out on Wicked Cool Records, with a music video. And I'm mixing new live tracks from the Jamification Station livestream and a show recorded at WFMU's Monty Hall in Jersey City. I'm starting a Patreon called the Devi Singles Club to enable me to record and release new singles throughout the year. So, stay tuned! 

We look forward to playing lots more festivals...and we want to come to Europe!

Debra Devi - Home

(Debra Devi/ Photo by Jimi Sachse)