Rig Rundown: Joanne Shaw Taylor

At age 13, Joanne Shaw Taylor switched from playing classical guitar to electric and fell in love with the big, tree-splitting sound of Texas Tele-slayer Albert Collins. Over the decades since, she’s developed her own high-voltage take on blues that’s packed with growl and sustain, and is driven home by her dynamic and intense fingerpicking.

Taylor’s first album, White Sugar, was released in 2009. Since then, the Wednesbury, England, native has navigated an international career distinguished by heavy touring and the release of six more albums, including her new Reckless Heart, which draws on her songwriting, vocals, and fat Telecaster and Les Paul tones to provide a well-rounded summary of her art.

We caught up with Taylor on a recent gig at Nashville’s City Winery, as she led her band through the final dates of a club tour that would then lead into summer festivals. She gave us the lowdown on her current road gear, including a pair of T-style Fenders and a Gibson Les Paul—hinting at two of the pillars of her inspiration: Collins and Free’s Paul Kossov. Listen to her tone as she opens the video with a taste of her biting and badass guitar-slinging style.