When Women Rock : From Randy Rhoads to The String Revolution
Janet Robin- musician
Janet Robin Bio:
"Top 20 Acoustic Rock Guitar Players"-Guitar Player Magazine, 2017
"Top 10 Female Guitarists"-Guitar World Magazine, 2012
Music audiences around the world have seen Janet Robin's incredible guitar work as a former touring member of the Lindsey Buckingham Band (from Fleetwood Mac), Meredith Brooks, Air Supply, and many other international touring artists.
In 2018, Guitar Player Magazine named her as of one of the "Top 20 Rock/Songwriter Acoustic Guitar Players” and Guitar World Magazine listed her as one of the
“Top 10 Female Guitarists.”
Janet has been a guitarist since age 6 and is a veteran musician of the LA music scene. She got her start taking lessons from the legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads. In high school, she joined the all-female band Precious Metal in the 80’s and went on to be signed by Polygram Records and Capitol Records. As a solo artist, she has released her over 6 cd’s as a singer/songwriter and guitarist. Her latest cd, "Take me as I am" was produced by John Carter Cash (Johnny & June's son) and Chuck Turner, and was recorded at Cash Cabin Studios in Nashville.
She is also a dedicated and well respected guitar coach and has given several master guitar classes on the road and online. In 2015, she was asked to teach actress Jennifer Jason Leigh guitar for a scene in Quentin Tarantino's "Hateful Eight" movie. The actress was subsequently nominated for an Academy Award for that role. She tours worldwide as a solo artist and is also a member of the instrumental all guitar band, The String Revolution. TSR currently has over 4 million Spotify plays and in 2019, was invited to perform at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, CA. They recently released a unique instrumental version of "Crazy Train" that features Billy Idol's long time guitarist, Steve Stevens on the solo. TSR's song was added to full rotation on SiriusXM Instrumental Channel in March 2022. They have since signed a management deal with Miles Copeland International and look forward to touring in 2023.
www.janetrobin.com
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana
Today's guest is beyond impressive. A guitarist since the age of six Janet Robin got her start taking lessons from the legendary Randy Rhoads. In high school she joined the all-female band Precious Metal Music, and later toured with the Lindsey Buckingham band, Meredith Brooks air supply and many other international artists. She now tours as a solo artist and also as member of the Instrumental Guitar band, The String Revolution. I have seen Janet play, and she's absolutely incredible. No wonder she has been named as one of the top 10 Female guitarists. Welcome, Janet!
Janet
Oh! That's quite well, that's a lot to live up to. I'll take it, you know, all good.
Marlana
So, let me just start by asking why guitar, what drew you to that in the first place?
Janet
It was my brother, to be honest with you, I have two brothers and the middle brother started taking guitar, he was really into music, like I was always hearing Zepplin and you know, all that Great 70s music. He started taking guitar. And then I saw my mom was going to try it. And I was like, Oh, my mom? And I just was like, you know, I'm going to try. I had tried everything like, you know, dance and karate and all these other things, sports and I didn't have a connection to it on. And when they took a lesson, I actually went around five to the guitar store. And the guy there was like, your hands are too small. Come back next year.
My brother kept taking lessons, my mom fell off. But I did, I came back at six and I tried it. I can't completely remember it. But I just it felt natural. You know, like, in my hands. Even though like at the time, it was like a big nylon string, big neck. And I have actually quite small hands. I wasn't intimidated by that. And I wasn't intimidated by anything, you know, maybe the sports, it was like all this competition, you know, and then the dance, same thing, all these other people in the class. This was like a one-on-one thing. And I really liked the intricacies of it on. And I think guitar over piano because I saw these like rock star posters in my brother's room of Jimmy Page and all these people, and I was like, they look cool. I want to be like that. So, that's how it started. And I just kept going. My brother's now a dentist. So funny! My mom was a librarian.
Marlana
I'm troubled. That's funny. So how did it feel the first time you ever got on stage?
Janet
Well, I mean, it depends on which stage because I absolutely remember the first time like any kind of stage as far as with my guitar was a talent show in second grade.
Marlana
Oh, wow!
Janet
In the elementary school auditorium, and I played Tom Dooley and down . It's terrible, like several song like the words. But anyway, I really enjoyed it. I feel natural on stage. You know, a lot of people get nervous and stuff. And I think I'm just a performer, even at that young age. But later when it was like a more professional thing. I mean, the band precious metal, our first show was in high school on the high school choir, you know, lunch time, and you know, all my friends were there. And we had a big sound system and everything that was pretty cool. I just like stages, period.
Marlana
Do you ever get nervous?
Janet
Oh! Sure! Definitely! I think sometimes when there's something new, like several new songs, new parts. And I want perfection so much. I sort of freaked myself out sometimes but never enough to be like a stage fright. I do not get stage fright. and usually the minute I'm on stage, something just kicks in, and I'm just like, Okay, I mean, after now, so many years of being on stage, you make it work on. But yeah, I can tell like, Oh, I was a little bit more, you know, nervous and not in the moment. Sometimes if I'm playing too fast, or something like that, you know, and I think that's a Natural? Listen, if you weren't nervous or didn't have some kind of a little anxiety about it, and then you would just be bored, wouldn't you on stage? And no one wants to see a board performer. You know, that would be true.
Marlana
All right! So, what do you think has been the most difficult part of the music industry to you?
Janet
All of it, it's all difficult. Anytime you decide to make a creative endeavor, your career and to make a living off of it, it's all difficult because it's all subjective. And you may have no control over what you put out in some ways, unless you're signed to a major label or something, and they were like, you know, forcing you to do stuff. Not that all major labels, have you done that. But, you know, my point is, anytime you're trying to sell, like, art, it's subjective. So you've got all these other people, you know, deciding whether that's good enough to sell, if they like it, what do they want to buy, I mean, you know, part of me, you're not just like, doing a duty, a duty every day, you know, from nine to five, taking home a certain amount of pay every day, every week which is great, you know, for some people, and it's steady, and all those things.
I don't think I've ever been, like, I'm conservative, in some ways, we're structured and conservative in some of my decisions and things, and in life and stuff. But I've always been like, wild child, and, you know, free, let me run around and be a crazy person, I can't be in a box, you know, and I think it suits me I do I get bored, you know, if I have to do like, the same thing for eight hours and just sitting there. Unless it's like a guitar part that I have to get, you know. So, I think that it's just by nature, a creative process, a creative art, art that you're trying to sell is difficult. If you are trying to make a living at it, period.
Marlana
you know, and I've always thought too, with any creative field, in any creative endeavor. I know for me, whenever I create anything, it's like, a piece of you like this child of yours goes out into the world. And you're proud of it, you're protective of it, but also to it becomes it takes on a different momentum and a different meaning than let's say, if you're just creating widgets, or something that you're not attached to, and it's not a piece of you.
Janet
Yeah, that's true. And over the years, I've had to learn some detachment on a professional level, in order to keep fluid and keep things moving. You know, I used to be really overprotective and really, like, I'm still a little OCD about things. And I don't know if that suited me that. Well, you know, maybe when I was younger, you know, it helped with a few things. But I think it freaked a lot of people out and you know, I had to like kind of just chill about some things in order to move my career forward.
Marlana
So, let's say if talent is a given, why do you think some people make it and others don't?
Janet
Oh, clearly, because of it being a difficult, non-stable situation, especially if you if you want to have a family and you want to buy a house and you want to do all these things, you know, I certainly had the grades to become a lawyer, you know, or a doctor or something even though I'm not into science or anything like that. But I went to UCLA; I had great grades I did very well in school. I come from a highly educated family, everybody is a doctor, dentist or whatever, you know. And it just I think some people need that security. And it's too hard. It's too unstable.
Also, what you were just talking about the personal rejection level of it all on. It was hard when I was younger, yeah. If I was rejected for something or somebody didn't like my guitar playing or my song or I didn't get the audition in this band or whatever, you do kind of take it personal and But then if you love what you do so much, you must move past that and decide, Okay, is there a lesson that I can learn from that, so that maybe the next time around, I won't do that, and it will help me move further. That's too much work sometimes for people too much work. And it's very, like, it's all about you, you know, and that makes it difficult with relationships and family. I mean, there's so much, you know, um, and that's totally fine. For other people want that? You know, you're right, there's certainly so many people I know, that have these amazing voices. And they just didn't, they didn't want this kind of life. It didn't suit them. You know, and that's totally great. I respect that. Yeah. Yeah. It's a battle. It's a battle.
Marlana
Yeah. And, you know, you hit on something, too. And I think it's also realizing that not all criticism is coming from a place to just target data call. Sometimes, there are things that you really need to take to heart and adjust. And it's true, everybody does that either.
Janet
What I try to tell guitar students and people who want to be in the music industry is just look at the source. Okay, what was what's the source of the criticism? Who are they? What experience do they have? Because as much as what you just said is true. The opposite is also true. Some people want to tear you down because they're jealous. They're envious, you know, myriad of reasons. Or they're just ***. You know, can I use that word on this podcast?
Marlana
So how have you put yourself in a position for the opportunities that you've had, riding with heart and touring with Lindsey, Buckingham, and all these kinds of things?
Janet
Never giving up. Just keep moving forward learning, always striving to get better on relentless pursuing of the art form, getting better at it, learning as much as you can, putting yourself out there, taking chances, all of the above, and that's true for anybody. For example, starting a business, it's not only in this business, that's the thing, this is a business. So, if you want to make a living at it, you have to take chances, you have to take risks, you have to fail. You have to get up again and start over.
Marlana
What's been your fondest collaboration?
Janet
Oh, definitely Lindsey Buckingham, you know, working with him, and the end and the ladies in heart, they were the idols of mine growing up because as a woman, a little girl, there was not very many female rocker chicks that I could identify with and they were truly the only ones For me, that kind of music, the harder edge music on.
But Lindsay came as a surprise, always was like a Fleetwood Mac fan, but I had never dived so deep into that music, and he's under-appreciated guitar icon. I think because he also fits in being an amazing songwriter, and an amazing producer. He's not just this like one thing, you know, where he's like focused on that, he's so many things to me, and an amazing performer as well. He encompasses all of what to me is being a musician, and I really had no idea about that. I knew he was a great guitar player.
Until I got that gig and started working with him at the right time, in my life on I always look back on that and think, how much it gave me I mean, I've talked to other people about my time with Lindsay and I liken it to like, you know, getting sort of your master's degree, or working on your thesis or something like that, whereas Precious Metal was great. I love the girls and I was so young and that was like the 80s and rock and roll and, you know, all that and we got signed, but when I got the gig with Lindsay, you know, it was another level.
So that was like college for me, and then I went to this other level with him, and from then on, I sort of never looked back at any kind of lower type of quality. be in as to the music and the musicianship and the kind of how I wanted to align myself with different other musicians. And from then on, and how I saw myself and what could I expect for myself too, really taught me. He was a mentor, he continued sort of to be a mentor, also after that gig, and he's, he's still as I see him every once in a while, and we talk . Incredible person!
Marlana
So, what would then be your dream collaboration going forward?
Janet
You could work with anybody that you haven't. I mean, anybody from Zeppelin? You know, they're amazing, Robert, or Jimmy. But gosh! Isn't it everybody's dream to like, write a song with Paul McCartney?
Marlana
Yeah.
Janet
like, be in the room with him. Or a Beatle of any sort?
Marlana
unfortunately, they're getting less and less.
Janet
They are. Yeah. But there's so many amazing people out there. That would be so like, interesting to work with. Just that I still find myself, you know, always like, wanting to experience somebody, something new. Unfortunately, I can't answer your one question that way. But yeah, like childhood dreams. Yeah. I mean, working with the Wilsons that's been fulfilled and what I've worked with them again, sure, but it's been fulfilled. That's amazing. But I mean, moving forward, Lady Gaga, and you know, all these amazing people out there.
Marlana
I know that you teach guitar, what do you look for in a guitar player, or in a musician that you're mentoring or teaching?
Janet
the main thing I look for in any musician, or a student is persistence and commitment. That's all I look for.
Marlana
Interesting!
Janet
You know, I don't think that, for example, I may have some new music DNA and me because I know I had some relatives that played violin and did you know, my grandmother played piano was very artistic, but I don't think I was a natural born musician. I'm 55, that's a ***load of a lot, a long time to play and be committed. And then, you know, between 1817 and now having just this immense work of professional time, you know, with these amazing artists, and then also experienced putting my own stuff out there and going out on the road alone and doing all those things, that doesn't take talent. You know, that doesn't take musical talent. I'm not saying not having musical talent doesn't help. That takes drive, persistence, commitment, and I’m always trying to get better and better at my craft and just by years of doing it you do you get better. My instincts are pretty spot on. My ears are so much better. I consider myself more of a natural musician, you know, for example, but I don't think I was when I started, like, you hear of Mozart, or these are my teacher, Randy rose. I think they were like these born, savant, right. So, I just think if you're committed, and you're determined, and you practice, and you learn. That's what I look for.
Marlana
Do you think it took you a long time to sound like you?
Janet
Yeah. ***load, a long time. And I mean, when I got it into my 40s and 50s, I started caring less about what people thought about things. When I was younger, I really cared a lot. It's affected me mentally and emotionally. It really did. rejection and criticism and all these things. It's just very hard. I mean, I could see why so many artists turn to drugs and alcohol and all these things, because it's tough. It's really tough. I had therapy for 10 years and then relations Ships come and go. And I'm thankfully married now, but it was taking a long *** time, man. Easy for anybody. But this is a complicated life, you know? And I told that to my wife, who, when we started dating, I'm like, Are you sure you want this? Because I'm a complicated person. And this life is complicated. It's not for everybody, you know? Thankfully, she's still here, but it's hard. I had to accept certain things, myself.
Marlana
And I think with all of us, it's always an ongoing process to as we absolutely need to learn and grow.
Janet
Yeah, no matter what job you have. Sure, as long as you're open to that.
Marlana
So, I have to go back and ask you a little bit about Randy Rhoads. Because I have a cousin that would never speak to me again at any family function if I did not at least touch on the subject. So, what do you think you learned the most from him or took away from that time with him?
Janet
What I just told you, the practice and the determination. You know, when I went to him, I started lessons on electric guitar around nine years old, some so from six to nine, I was taking acoustic folk and stuff like that. And my brother started taking from Randy. We got a referral. And it just so happened where he taught this the school called New Sonia, his mom owned it, it was right around the corner from where we grew up, where my mom still lives. So that was easy for her to drop the kids off at guitar lessons.
I went in there as a little tomboy, I had some preconceptions, even at that age is really interesting that, you know, oh, maybe a girls shouldn't be doing that in some ways, but I just nobody, my family was telling me no, a girl, you know, shouldn't do that everybody was supportive. But I had grown up with my brother saying, No, you can't play with us. You know, you can't play football with your girl, blah, blah, blah. So, I think when I started with him, none of that was coming from him. Like, he could care less whether I was a girl or a boy. Okay, so that was great. And then also, I had a little nerve about being so young. You know, even at nine I was aware, oh, I'm really young. You know, he's older, you know, and older 20/21. So I didn't know how that was going to be. I didn't know if he was going to take me seriously. I think that's really what it was. And I was serious.
I had already fallen in love with the guitar and my brothers playing electric and I was like, I gotta play electric too, I gotta do it. He just was so straightforward. No, nonsense. You got a practice. Um, the lessons where you know $6 for like a half hour. Well, you know, sick then I think it went up to $8 I sat a little practice room. He had his at the time is white Les Paul. Little tiny Fender amp, smoking, you know, drinking diet coke. Meanwhile, the guy was like this big and I'm like, why is he drinking diet coke, you know, and giant thing a Diet Coke cigarette. I think my lessons were at one point every Monday night and I think they were on Thursday nights. Isn't that interesting? They're always after dinner. Like, 7:00/7:30 and you know, he helped me develop discipline and the sort of the prize that comes from doing it over and over and then Oh, my God, I got it, you know, and that really helped me.
I think all of that I just said about him. Maybe a girl and young and the discipline that completely changed my self-esteem. I as a young girl, and I think it really kind of saved my life in some ways, you know, gave me purpose, but I really wanted to purpose. That purpose, you know, my brothers where I like I analyzed my brothers and I was the youngest and the only girl and I was like, I want something, you know, I want to do something that makes me feel good, and I got attracted to the guitar.
And then when I met him, and he, you know, he was just, he would just play these things. And you're just like, wait, what, you know, what did I just see? It was so amazing that the inspiration that I saw him doing it, and I was in the same room with him, and he was telling me all those things, it made me feel like, I could be like him. Yeah, you know, maybe not the same way. Of course, because he would always say, don't try to be like me. Don't try to play exactly like me play like you, you know, but of course, you're learning from him. So, you're gonna take a few things. But all of that I think, in my early years really helped shape my self-esteem as a person, definitely as a woman. Interesting. Yeah, that's the number one thing that I got from him.
Marlana
We met about a month or so ago at a fantasy camp, and what I kept seeing and hearing is that the voice of women and the presence of women in rock and roll is underserved and under heard, do you think that that's the case?
Janet
It's certainly more, it's certainly better now than before, but the voice of women is underserved and under hurting everything. So, you know, has it gotten better from women in the music business? Yeah, there's more women executives, more women, you know, in the business side, there's more women musicians, I have lots of young girls, you know, that come take lessons from me, but at the same time, bring the young boys too, I have young boys too, and I want them to take from a woman, you know, they come to me because I took from Randy, and I want them to take from a woman and you know, grow up having had that experience being taught, you know, from a woman, rock and roll guitar, right, specifically that because hard rock and metal absorbs very been always very misogynist. So, I'm really glad when the young boys come to me. So, We're still fighting. Look at what's happening now, legally, we're going backwards in some ways, which is just, I don't want to get political. But, you know, it's just like, What, wait, what? So, it's still a thing for women, I think it's gotten better as far as like a girl walking into Guitar Center, and the male salesman, not immediately thinking, Oh, this chick, you know, can't play you know, she's a girl. I think that's gotten a little better, but used to be the case.
Well, you know, that's when take you seriously. So now, I think that's changed a bit because you don't know who's walking in there. And there's so many amazing women players out there, not only in guitar, but in all fields of music. So, it's better, but it's still it's still not.
Marlana
Yeah, what step do you think that we can take to correct that?
Janet
More visibility, get out there. Um, I also think play to some instruments that are maybe not typically, you know, thrown into the female corner. You know, nothing gets violin or piano, nothing against those instruments. I love those. But we are socialized, I think to move women in that category. Yeah, you know, drums, bass, even guitar, it's still not looked at as like a feminine type of instrument, you know, on encourage girls to try these things.
Try these instruments. They're not male or female instruments. They're just instruments. Yeah, you know, I get it with the female voice or male voice Sure, you can tell that. But you know, I always tell people like when you listen to a guitar solo on a record, okay, not looking at a video or anything else just want to read According, can you tell if it's a woman or a man playing? Right? You cannot. So as much as I, like, you know, these titles of oh, you know, top 10 Female guitars, this and that. Sure, those things can help, you know, and I admit I use them for my press and whatever. But perhaps I shouldn't, you know, maybe I'm part of the problem, because there should not be a category, for example, women, guitar players, women drummers.
I don't understand why there's a category for these things. And on the other hand, I understand because there's so few and far between, in conjunction with male players that perhaps we do have to set ourselves aside to make our own category to stand out to get some visibility. So, like, part of me is like for that, and the other part is like, not for it.
Marlana
Now, I completely understand that because I think people, when anybody comes on the scene of anything, they try and put whoever it is, into a box that they know
Janet
that is true, even talking about gender style. Right? Yeah, although you're right, it's, and I find that especially true in the United States, not to interrupt your thought, but so much of my solo touring, was in Europe, they do not quite do that. They don't look so much at gender, or style of music, if they like your music, doesn't matter. They like your music. They don't ask how old you are, you know, these crazy things that we do out here, I think because they grow, they're so older, you know, that they're older countries, and they grow up with such long cultural history of art, artisans, architecture, painters out there, they're not thinking all these things, they only are thinking purely of the art, they like it.
For example, many of the festivals I would play in Europe, it wasn't like, all metal bands, you know, you'd have like a metal band play, and then right after, that'd be like a three, three piece country. And then after that, it'd be like a jazz quartet. And everybody in the audience would stay to buy one ticket to the festival, and you watch the whole thing. Love that. I think that's great. And that's why I think I did really well over there. Because I personally don't really fit in a category. My, my solo work is all over the place. It's all its styles, all kinds of styles. And when I started touring and doing solo work, I was considered old here. I started at like, 28, you know, putting out my first record, that's old. Yeah, yeah. But, you know, over there, they really could give a ***. You know, if they like your songs, and they liked you. I really am not dissing America, but I'm showing the differences. I think they really appreciate passion.
Marlana
And I have to say, it is so evident in you when you play, because I know, as somebody who cannot play an instrument, cannot sing a note. I could feel what you were feeling by watching you. Oh, that was pretty powerful.
Janet
That's so great! I mean, I'm honored that you felt that on and that's what artists should do. We should share that feeling that we're getting and share it with the listener or the person looking at the painting or whatever it is. We want you to feel something. That's what art is about.
It wants you to feel. And it may not be exactly what we're feeling to you, you might get a different feeling from it, which is also really cool thing about art. Because no two people look at the same painting the same way or they hear a song the same way. But I appreciate that so much. You know, we don’t have children, to me that's just like my family. When people say things like that to me or, you know, your song helped me through my mother dying or this and that or something like that.
It's wonderful, that's not an ego thing. It's like a set. It's like a family thing. You know? Yeah. It's amazing. And I feel that too. By the way, when I go listen to somebody and, or look at a painting or go watch a film or something, if I feel something I'm like, wow, with justice. That's the connection that I think art, and all of this brings to humankind. A great, you know, for without sounding too, you know, esoteric.
Marlana
I have four final questions for you. First one is what's the best piece of advice you're ever given?
Janet
Don't give up. My dad.
Marlana
Share with us one thing on your bucket list.
Janet
Yeah, to play with a beetle. I mean, come on. Right. A beetle. Okay. Any beetle? There's only two.
Marlana
So take it back.
Janet
I got close, you know, like I do this crazy fast rendition instrumental rendition here comes the sun, and the George Harrison estate tweeted it out. Like, my video I did have it on. I was at an event where Donnie Harrison was, that's George's son. And I went up to him and I just said, you know, your team, your estate, you know, Trump tweeted out my version of your dad song, you know, one of my favorite songs.
He's like, Oh, you're the girl who did that? You know? And I was like, you know, he's like, oh, yeah, I know it. I am the estate. You know, I approve everything that goes out. And I was like, Oh, my God, you know, thank you so much. And he looks so much like his dad. Like you should take a look at George Harrison, son. It's really like, ghostly. He looks just like him. It's such a nice guy. So, I came close to that. There's still time.
Marlana
There is there is still no for one of the other two. Right? So, when the toy companies get around to making an action figure of you, what two accessories will it come with?
Janet
Well, that's easy. Come on now! One on the left hand, you know, the acoustic guitar and the electric guitar in the right hand
Marlana
and how do people find you and also tell us about the string revolution and what's coming up with that?
Janet
Well, you can look me up, just janetrobin.com. The String Revolution is thestringrevolution.com. And basically, it's all the same on all of our social medias, The String Revolution came together after my solo work, I still do some of it. But I'm slowing down a little bit on that to focus more on the string revolution. I wanted something more guitar focused. And I came up with this idea of having multiple guitars, doing different things on the guitar to make it sound like a band maybe playing, you know, hitting the guitar like a drum, maybe using a baritone guitar that sounds like a bass.
Combined with my time and Lindsay's band where we had five guitar players, he had put this like Guitar Orchestra together, I was thinking something along the lines of that but making it more instrumental. So, I put that band together seven years ago, we've put out different releases. We have since become a trio. And are really proud of our Spotify channel, 4 million streams. And this year, we put out full circle. Now we put out a really cool version. I think it's really cool, a unique version of Crazy Train. All Instrumental and we were honored enough to have a guest on it. Steve Stevens from Billy Idol is playing the guitar solo on it because he too is also a Randy Rhoads fan. And that all came together because last year, Randy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which I attended with his family who were there and I wanted to do something special, you know, and so that did really well for us. And we're still you know, sort of pushing that out there. And we are now a trio and COVID and everything stopped are touring, but we're looking at 2023 to getting back out there on the road. We just played a couple shows the last few months locally, and we're slowly like doing a few more like that just getting our feet wet again, and we're looking to hit the road 2023. So, I'd say check out the website for more information on that. You can sign up on our newsletter on the website on thestringrevolution.com. We’re The String Revolution on Facebook, The String Revolution on Instagram. I'm Janet Robin Music on Instagram and then just Jana Robin on Facebook and I combine the two allied and promote the two but yeah, very grateful to have that project.
Solo wise I'm concentrating on a blues recording right now, unique blues recording, I'm doing that here in my studio. I'm plans to release that, maybe next year, if I can get everything together as two volumes of it. So, I'm working on that, it's sort of slightly historical too. I'm taking old recordings from the early 20s. And I'm putting new instrumentation on top and I'm kind of showcasing the history of where our guitar comes from work, the rock and roll guitar that we know now it's all from blues, all of it. Yeah, so sort of like trying to showcase that by doing these kind of special remix versions of these old blues songs. And so that's where my life is now. You know, those two projects, teaching, doing some sessions I was doing, I'm doing somebody's record right now here in my studios that, so I am tired today and was up till two in the morning. So, I love doing that too, working on other people's music completely different than mine and being sort of a producer, you know, and lending my skills to another artists, love that. So, you know, not complaining.
Marlana
I hope that one of these tours brings you to Raleigh, North Carolina so I can see you again in person.
Janet
I love North Carolina, and I have played many times in Charlotte.
Marlana
I can get to Charlotte.
Janet
Absolutely love the south. And again, the birthplace of blues guitar. So, I would love to get out there. And I just want to get out on the road and play again. And thank you so much for your amazing photos you took.
Marlana
Oh, well. Thank you. It was an honor to meet you, to hear you play, to get to have this conversation with you.
Janet
My pleasure.