Chris Janson (Photo by David Bradley)
Why Chris Jason Started Playing The Harmonica
Chris Janson has made playing the harmonica an integral part of his live shows, but he admits when he first started playing it, he was just trying to make enough money to live.
But now, the harmonica has taken on a whole new life and a new purpose for Chris.
“The truth of the matter is, I was playing downtown at Tootsie’s, and I was singin’ and playing guitar my first year in town, and I was making okay tips. I was gettin’ by. But I thought, what can I do to up my game? So I picked up a harmonica and learned it, and I took it in the very next day to Tootsies and my tips doubled. And the next day it’s like they tripled, and then they quadrupled. And I was like damn, this is workin’. So I just did it for the money. But then you know like, I’m not a good lead guitar player, I’m not a good lead piano player or anything, but I’ve always been a fan of like boogie-woogie music, like Jerry Lee Lewis. And so I can, in my head, I can play those parts on a harmonica, which I know it doesn’t make any sense, but in my head, I’d shut my eyes and turn it into a different instrument, and just play, which takes on a whole new life for the harmonica.”
