About Jackie Greene
Jackie Greene on Tour
Americana and roots-rock warrior Jackie Greene is a musician’s musician - a restless singer-songwriter and consummate collaborator who’s spent most of his adult life on the road. Since releasing his 2002 debut album, Gone Wanderin’, in his early twenties, Greene has been a permanent fixture in roots, blues, and jam-rock circles. The California-born artist thrives on stage, whether he’s wielding a guitar - churning out fiery licks at a neck-breaking pace - or settling down in front of the keys for a smoky, soulful ballad. Greene has toured alongside heavy hitters like B.B. King, Mark Knopfler, Susan Tedeschi, Huey Lewis and Taj Mahal. In between his solo gigs, Greene became a regular member of Phil Lesh & Friends, played in Trigger Hippy with Joan Osborne, and joined the Black Crowes as lead guitarist in 2013. He’s since come around full circle, getting back to his folk-y roots with intimate solo recordings and acoustic live sets - several of which have been preserved on record.
About Jackie Greene
Jackie Greene has helped keep rock ‘n’ roll alive and kicking well into the 21st century. Born Chris Nelson in Salinas, California, on November 27, 1980 (Jimi Hendrix’s birthday!), Greene grew up outside of Sacramento, where he gravitated toward music from a young age. As a kid, he took to the piano, first motivated to learn the classical melodies from Disney’s Fantasia, before discovering Ray Charles. Digging through the old records of his parents, he further expanded his influences to blues icons Mississippi John Hurt and Muddy Waters. As a teen, he picked up the guitar, trying to emulate six-string specialists like Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton. But it was Bob Dylan and Tom Waits who inspired Greene to start writing his own songs, and he began playing open-mic gigs at Sacramento bars and coffee shops right out of high school. Greene honed his skills on those small stages, where he also learned how to command a crowd. His first studio was his garage and his first record deal came with local indie label Dig Music. Greene’s first album, Gone Wanderin’, highlighted the multi-instrumentalist’s bluesy, Bob Dylan-esque appeal - harmonica and all - and it earned him a 2003 California Music Award for Best Blues/Roots Album. From there, his career took off: He released a string of acclaimed solo albums, joined Phil Lesh & Friends, and contributed the song “I Will Never Let You Go” to the Academy Award-winning Best Original Score for the film Brokeback Mountain. He began the 2010s mostly devoted to more collaborations: He was a member of the short-lived Trigger Hippy (alongside Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman and singer-songwriter Joan Osborne) and stepped into the role as lead guitarist for the Black Crowes until they called it quits in 2015. That same year, Greene returned with his first solo album in five years, Back to Birth, a robust, roots-oriented set that balances blistering blues guitar with tender, thoughtful songwriting. Since, he’s continued to dig further into classic Americana, bluegrass, folk and Delta blues as he tirelessly brings it to stages across the country - both on his own and with his many legendary friends.
