JW Gilmore is a master storyteller, a demon on the harp, a well-versed musician and, above all, a showman extraordinaire.  From slow dirty blues to frenetic swing,  JW keeps audiences laughing, smiling and dancing into the night.  He has been playing harmonica for over 20 years, from Baton Rouge to Ft. Lauderdale, playing with greats like Tabby Thomas, Chris Thomas King, Louisiana Red, Todd Hart, and Joey Gilmore. 

He can be heard on the Blue Beat CD Blues From the Swamp by Tabby Thomas.  JW was also a regular on the South Florida blues circuit, playing both coasts from Ft. Lauderdale to Naples, bringing his burning harp playing and his soulful song stylings to thousands of fans.  Seeing JW live is a true treat.   Part Muddy Waters, part James Brown, JW puts on an energetic entertaining show while keeping true to the roots of the music.  Just close your eyes and you can see him on a front porch spinning a yarn or in a small juke joint belting out the blues on a sweltering Mississippi summer night.  JW is a blues performer that takes to heart the legacy of the legendary bluesmen that have come before him.   He’s much more Muddy than Stevie Ray, more Little Walter than Eric Clapton, he plays a pure blues rather than rock versions of blues classics.  Just like the great bluesmen, JW can surprise you with new tunes and old classics with new interpretations; with JW you just never know what to expect and that’s half the fun.

Equipment:

• Hohner harmonicas
• Shure microphones
• Peavey, Sonny Jr, and Fender HotRod Deluxe Amplifiers