For many years at the beginning of his career, Jhett Black traveled the road playing folk-rock music. While playing gigs for Gleewood and living out of his Honda, the musician taught himself to play slide guitar. As his lyrics express, “He was born down on the Pecos where the water meets the desert sand.” Originally from Ruidoso, he grew up listening to his sister’s punk rock albums. One day, he discovered Led Zeppelin, and “they were the gateway into blues” for him.
Once blues music found him, it took hold of him and never let him go. Jhett Schiavone became “Jhett Black,” an award-winning songwriter and blues musician. He tried to change his prominent bass-baritone voice when he was younger. He says, “I tried to match my voice to the higher-pitched popular singers at the time. I finally yielded to what my voice had to offer.”
Jhett describes his music as Southern Gothic Blues, Murder Ballads, and Gospel Blues. He says, “I pull a lot on the Delta blues inspiration with the slide guitar sound and simple cut-and-shoot rhythms.” He credits the Hebrew Psalms as his biggest inspiration. In the Psalms, he finds pain, hope, struggle, and victory. You can also hear that juxtaposition in his music. His albums include gritty songs like “Devil Ain't An Only Child” and heartfelt songs like “For Mom,” a tribute to his mother. His audiences also enjoy foot-tapping tunes like “Pecos Kid.”
In 2022, Jhett was selected for The International Blues Challenge, an annual event that showcases the best blues musicians worldwide. Jhett won 2nd place in the solo/duo blues category. His final performance was at the historic Orpheum Theatre in Memphis. He says, “That was a super surprising and incredible experience to share those stages with so much talent from around the world.”
His self-produced album Roots remained on the Roots Music Report Blues Charts for over twenty weeks and landed at #1 for four consecutive weeks. Shortly after his Orpheum performance, Blues Radio picked up the album internationally.
Jhett has toured locally and worldwide, but deep down, he’s still a proud New Mexican, and his music proves it. Lyrics from songs like “Pecos Kid” tell his audience, “…his woman was raised on green chile.” His wife, Callie, has been his musical muse and co-creator. He says, “I wrote my first song the day I met her. She has been a part of the process in some way ever since.” Jhett also credits his musician friends, the Doso Dirtbags, for teaching him most of his guitar chords.
During the pandemic, Jhett and Callie ended up in Nashville and had to remain there until the lockdown ended. Jhett says, “The only musical performances were underground blues jams.” Musicians like Jhett “would sneak out together and fire up their gear.” During that time, he started writing a lot of blues music. Jhett says, “The Lord always opens windows when doors close.” This new outlet led him from folk rock to blues.
Jhett says his most meaningful performances are not necessarily for a large crowd. Some of his best memories are performing for friends. He says, “Whenever I can arrive at a place of truth, and I can see it resonate with someone else, those are the most memorable performances. For me, it's all about performing live and connecting with people one-on-one. I want to leave people with the experience that they couldn’t have gotten more out of a concert.”
Jhett Black is touring to promote his latest blues rock record Babel,” created with fellow musicians Al Basil and Glenn Halverson. The album will be released on CD and vinyl. Fans can also find collaborative singles that Jhett will independently release each month. One of the newly released singles is his version of the Beatles’ song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
Although Jhett currently lives in Tennessee, he comes home to New Mexico to perform and stay in his mountain casita, where he has recorded many songs. “I love the outlaw vibe of New Mexico, the open space, and the stark contrast of the landscape. The high desert is always going to be home in my heart.” Now, when he is not busy touring, you can find Jhett snowboarding, writing music, or reading a good book.
Fans can catch local Jhett Black shows in Ruidoso, Roswell, and Santa Fe. For aspiring musicians, he says, “If it’s put in your heart to play music, if it vibrates deep in your bones, there’s really no stopping that. Hunker in for the long haul.”
Visit Jhettblackblues.com for upcoming performances.
"The high desert is always gonna be home in my heart.”
Jhett has toured locally and throughout the world, but deep down he’s still a proud New Mexican and his music proves it. Lyrics from songs like “Pecos Kid” tell his audience “his woman was raised on green chile.”
