Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 32 minutes ago
Sometimes an opportunity presents itself and you’ve just got to take it while you can! While recently at local gig at God’s Kitchen in Mornington by acclaimed American-born musician Jerome Smith (formerly of Keith Richards X-Pensive Winos and The Divinyls), blues harmonica legend Billy Branch (Willie Dixon, Sons of the Blues) just happened to be in my part of the world on vacation. Billy introduced himself to Jerome that night, who called him up on stage to perform Willie Dixon’s Spoonful. It was a moment to savour. A few days later I tracked down Billy via his partner/manager Rosa and was able to organise an exclusive interview during a very slim window of time before he flew home to prepare for the famous blues cruise.
In conversation with Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips, legendary Chicago blues harmonica player Billy Branch reflects on a life immersed in the blues, a journey shaped as much by community, history and discipline as by raw musical feeling.
#australianmusician #billybranch #bluesharmonica
Sometimes an opportunity presents itself and you’ve just got to take it while you can! While recently at local gig at God’s Kitchen in Mornington by acclaimed American-born musician Jerome Smith (formerly of Keith Richards X-Pensive Winos and The Divinyls), blues harmonica legend Billy Branch (Willie Dixon, Sons of the Blues) just happened to be in my part of the world on vacation. Billy introduced himself to Jerome that night, who called him up on stage to perform Willie Dixon’s Spoonful. It was a moment to savour. A few days later I tracked down Billy via his partner/manager Rosa and was able to organise an exclusive interview during a very slim window of time before he flew home to prepare for the famous blues cruise.
In conversation with Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips, legendary Chicago blues harmonica player Billy Branch reflects on a life immersed in the blues, a journey shaped as much by community, history and discipline as by raw musical feeling.
#australianmusician #billybranch #bluesharmonica
