Joanne Shaw Taylor makes blues lovers and classic-rock fans’ dreams come true with her killer cover of the Free classic Wishing Well — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The latest single from the U.K. singer and guitar-slinger’s deservedly acclaimed new album Heavy Soul — which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart just behind Slash’s Orgy Of The Damned — Taylor’s version stays true to the original’s hard-hitting thunder, while putting her own stamp on the proceedings with her woodsmoked vocals and searing fretwork. Paul Rodgers and co. would surely dig it. As will you.
“I’ve been a massive Free fan since I was a teenager,” Taylor shares. “It’s a very hard band to cover because it doesn’t really need covering; it was already perfect in the first place. I was a little bit nervous about it because I put Free on a pedestal. But I enjoyed it. I look forward to the challenge of recreating it similar to the original and paying homage to that, but also doing it in my own sort of style.”
Written by Rodgers and his bandmates about their friend Bevan T. Woodhouse, Wishing Well climbed the U.K. Singles Chart, reaching No. 7 on Jan. 13, 1973. Featured on the band’s sixth and final studio album Heartbreaker, it was Free’s final hit before the group disbanded, with Rodgers and Simon Kirke going on to form Bad Company.
Taylor’s take on Wishing Well is in good company on her recent LP Heavy Soul, which has been hailed as a landmark in her career, showcasing her evolution from blues roots to incorporating her soulful pop music influence. Critics have praised Heavy Soul for its raw talent and authenticity, solidifying Taylor’s place as a dynamic force in the music world.
With a career enriched by acclaim from legends like Stevie Wonder and Annie Lennox, Taylor offers a fusion of contemporary soul-pop and traditional blues. Heavy Soul’s previous single, Drowning In A Sea Of Love, is a soulful rendition inspired by the late Eva Cassidy’s version of soul icon Joe Simon’s 1971 R&B hit. Introduced to Taylor by producer Kevin Shirley, it perfectly captures the album’s theme of exploring emotional depths through a blend of blues and soul music.
Watch the video for Wishing Well above, listen to Heavy Soul and check Joanne Shaw Taylor’s tour dates below, and make a wish on her website, Instagram and Facebook.
Summer 2024 Tour Dates
July 12 | Briggsville, PA | Briggs Farm Blues Festival
July 18 | Salisbury, MA | Blue Ocean Music Hall
July 19 | Bangor, ME | Maine Savings Amphitheater*
July 21 | Woodstock, NY | Levon Helm Studios
July 23- Lake Placid, NY | Songs at Mirror Lake
Aug.2 | Mammoth Lakes, CA | Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza
Aug.10 | Duluth, MN | Bayfront Blues Festival
Aug.15 | Asbury Arts Center
Aug.16 | Northampton, MA | The Iron Horse
Aug.17 | Thornton, NH | White Mountain Boogie N’ Blues Festival
Aug.31 | Bremerton, WA | Kitsap Blues Festival
Sept. 14 | Morristown, NJ | Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival
*Opening for Joe Bonamassa
Heavy Soul U.S. Tour Dates
Oct. 23 | Carmel, IN | The Palladium
Oct. 24 | Springfield, MO | Gillioz Theatre
Oct. 25 | Kansas City, MO | Folly Theater
Oct. 28 | Boulder, CO | Boulder Theater
Oct. 29 | Salt Lake City, UT | The Rose
Oct. 31 | Boise, ID | The Egyptian Theatre
Nov. 1 | Spokane, WA | The Bing
Nov. 2 | Beaverton, OR | The Reser
Nov. 4 | Seattle, WA | The Neptune Theatre
Nov. 6 | Menlo Park, CA | The Guild Theatre
Nov. 7 | Sacramento, CA | Crest Theatre
Nov. 8 | Napa, CA | Uptown Theatre
Nov. 10 | Montclair, CA | The Canyon Montclair
Nov. 13 | Cerritos, CA | The Cerritos Center
Nov. 14 | Phoenix, AZ | Celebrity Theatre
Nov. 17 | Oklahoma City, OK | Tower Theatre
Nov. 19 | Austin, TX | ACL Live
Nov. 20 | San Antonio, TX | Empire Theatre
Nov. 22 | Arlington, TX | Arlington Music Hall
Nov. 23 | Houston, TX | The Heights Theater
Nov. 24 | Baton Rouge, LA | Manship Theatre
