JOE WILKINS
GUITARIST
Biography
Joe Wilkins is an award-nominated session guitarist with over 20 years of touring and recording experience. Although his roots are firmly set in Blues, Soul and Americana, the eclectic range of musical styles that he's covered throughout his own projects, and as a sideman, have earned him a reputation as a unique and diverse musician. BBC Radio Introducing described him as “a man who plays guitar like its straight out of a David Lynch movie”.
Joe started playing guitar at the age of 13, but it wasn't until a year later when his Dad introduced him to the film 'The Last Waltz' featuring The Band, that he truly fell in love with music. By the age of 15 he'd become a regular guitarist with a number of well-known local blues & soul artists, playing in pubs and clubs around Bristol. He recalls how at one such gig he was chased off stage and out of the venue by staff after they discovered his age!
Since then he has shared the stage with legend Walter Trout, played alongside Van Morrison at Kew Gardens, and opened for the likes of Jools Holland, Rag ’n’ Bone Man and Don McLean on his 50th Anniversary ‘American Pie’ Tour. He has also played the Joe Bonamassa ‘Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea’ Cruise, the Americana Festival in Nashville in both 2019 & 2023, Glastonbury Festival and the London Palladium. In addition, Joe has toured extensively throughout the UK, Europe and Scandinavia, and has worked with artists such as Nina Nesbitt, Izo Fitzroy, Angel Snow, Tamara Stewart, Liam Cromby, Lady Nade, Holly Carter, Phil King, Tammy Payne, Kirris Rivere, Katey Brooks, Don Gallardo, Amy McCarley, Pete Gage, Joelle Moses, Demi Marriner, Guthrie Kennard, Shola Ama, Beth Rowley, among many others.
He is also a two-time ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ nominee at the UK Americana Awards ('23 & ’25) and has worked on records that have reached the top ten in the Official UK Americana, Blues and Folk Charts, and hit number 12 in the Official UK Album Charts.
Since 2014 Joe has been writing, recording and touring internationally with award-winning Americana singer-songwriter Elles Bailey. Joe’s unique guitar work features heavily on all four of Bailey’s studio albums, as well as the majority of her other releases. He’s co-written songs such as ‘Riding Out The Storm’, ‘If This Is Love’, ‘Love Yourself’ and ’Wildfire’ - the title track of Bailey’s first studio album. The album was recorded at Blackbird Studios in Nashville and saw Joe trading guitar licks with session legends Brent Mason and Chris Leuzinger, as well as playing alongside Memphis piano legend Bobby Wood. Joe’s slide guitar solo on Bailey’s ‘Medicine Man’ was selected by Joe Bonamassa to feature on his ‘Blazing Blues Guitar Solo’s’ Playlist.
In 2024, Joe played guitar on Nina Nesbitt’s chart-topping album ‘Mountain Music’ (Apple Tree Records) and was later involved in the Live studio filming & recording sessions for the album.
Joe’s own projects include funk outfit ‘Mohawkestra’, signed to Reed Records. The band released their self-titled album in 2019, garnering support from Craig Charles on BBC 6 Music. Their collaborative single with Bristol’s ‘Boca45’ was featured as ‘Beat of the Week’ on Huey Morgan’s BBC 6 Music Show. In addition, Jazz/Alt-Rock band Sefrial’s self-titled debut album was released in March 2020 to rave reviews from some of Europe’s top Jazz publications; London Jazz News commented ‘Splendidly moody…fascinating instrumental music that fans of Get The Blessing or Polar Bear might relish, and make an equally strong impression. There are hooks, interesting textures, adroit changes of pace, and unflashily excellent playing…a band to look out for.’