Jesse Dayton Talks ‘Death Wish Blues’, GRAMMY Nomination and More

Firstly, congratulations on the GRAMMY nomination in the ‘Best Contemporary Blues’ category for your album with Samantha Fish ‘Death Wish Blues’. How are you and Samantha Fish feeling about the nomination?

Thanks very much! I think Samantha and I are both still surprised yet humbled at the same time about the record being nominated. This is the 1st time either of us have been nominated, so it’s a special thing we get to share together. 

How did you and Samantha Fish meet and what was the first song that you wrote together?

I met Samantha when she was 19 and she was opening up for my band at Knuckleheads in Kansas City. She was a force even back then. Fast forward to 2022 we started writing “You Know My Heart” together,(our first writing collaboration), and we knew we were on to something.

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

Beaumont Texas is right on the Louisiana border. It’s home to lots of Cajun, Rhythm & Blues and Honky Tonk music! 

You toured the UK in October 2023 with The Commoners and I was fortunate enough to attend the 100 Club show in London. Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the tour?

The 2023 UK Tour was amazing. I ended up buying 2 vintage Telecasters while I was in England. At one point I bought a Telecaster in Sunderland, used it for the entire tour every night, but didn’t want to bring two more guitars home, so I sold it at the merch booth to a lucky fan in London at the 100 Club. I have too many Telecasters! 

Do you have any favoured stage guitars, pedals, effects?

Lately I’ve been obsessing on this 1973 Telecaster Deluxe that I bought while on tour in the UK. Its got the Seth Lover humbucker pickups that are wound more than most Gibson humbuckers. So when I plug it straight into a vintage tube amp, you get this classic round 70s tone that I heard on all those killer record. 

How do you look after your voice?

I don’t look after my voice as well as I should. Samantha is very disciplined about warming up her voice and it’s starting to rub off on me. So I’m starting to do that when I can backstage. If I drink plenty of water my voice is usually bulletproof. 

What is the story/inspiration for the track ‘Settle For Less’?

Settle For Less is a song that Samantha came to the studio with. Pretty sure she was talking about how it’s better to be alone than settle for someone whose less than ideal. Those garagey opening guitar riffs we played always remind me of The Sonics “Have Love, Will Travel”. 

Who played with you on the album?

Kendall Wind wrote and played spectacular bass on the record. I don’t think she charted or wrote down anything. Mickey Finn wrote some real interesting keyboard hooks as well. Aaron Johnson played drums. We didn’t want to just do the same old derivative blues thing, yet still keep it totally blues based. I think that’s why people are responding to it. 

What are your future plans e.g Do you have any solo music that you are planning to release?

I have a new solo record that Shooter Jennings produced that will be out in 2024. Shooter is riding a big wave right now and has won 4 Grammys for his producing in the last few years. I played with his Dad Waylon on a record, so me and Shooter go way back. It’s a total guitar record and I’m excited for people to hear it. Lots of blues rock on this one. 

Do you have any plans to return to the UK for a future tour?

I’m in love with the UK because so many of my musical heroes are from there. Samantha & I played 3 venues that Thin Lizzy, David Bowie and Led Zeppelin all played. After all the folks I’ve played with, these things still matter to me so much. Hopefully coming back to the UK in 2024. 

What makes Jesse Dayton happy and what makes you unhappy?

What makes me happy is a loaded question. Being with family and friends, playing music, writing songs, riding and working on vintage Triumph motorcycles, it all somehow clears my mind of any cobwebs. Not doing those things is very detrimental. But unhappiness has helped me write some gut-wrenching songs, so it all goes hand in hand.

Photo Credit: Manuela Langotsch

Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton’s Grammy-nominated Death Wish Blues album is available from www.rounder.com, www.jessedayton.com and www.samanthafish.com