Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joe Jenneman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Joe, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

My dad was the first person to put a guitar in my hands when I was 6 years old. By 7 I was writing full songs with verse, chorus, etc. I never felt I had reason to push past my basic knowledge of guitar when I was young. A lot of my childhood friends and early collaborators were obsessed with learning famous guitar riffs, but I was satisfied with the chords I knew, as they were plenty to tell a story over. My heroes as a youth were guys like Bob Dylan, and Neil Young…not necessarily going to blow your mind with their musicianship, but they truly had something powerful to say over that sloppy 4 chord loop. Fast forward to 21. I’d recently moved to LA and was living in a run down South Central house, converted into a low-income hostel. I was out on the porch day and night, writing songs, perfecting my craft as a storyteller. After I’d been there for a few months, a couple other musicians moved in and we collectively turned the garage into a makeshift studio. These guys could really play…naturally we would jam for hours on end. I’d been playing guitar for 15 years at this point, so whether intentionally or not I’d developed some chops, which impressed the others. They really opened my mind to becoming more than just a singer-songwriter, but a true musician. These endless jams are when I became a real guitarist…able to fully express myself through my notes, as well as my words. To this day I feel like my abilities as a lead guitarist have played a big role in crafting my sound, as well as my live performances. I owe a lot of my evolution as an artist to that house, and our garage jams.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My mission is to connect with as many folks as possible. Whether that be through streaming, performing, or both. I feel like I have a knack for highlighting the less-told stories of life…what happens between nights out, falling in love, or a view from a high-rise balcony? What happens between the sparkly instances of life? Writing about those dark, dull, in-between moments, and the emotions buried in them, I feel connects very strongly with an audience. We all experience those phases, and I hope acknowledging the emotions connected to them will help others feel less alone, and perhaps even empower them to push through.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Not having to pay for therapy, just a beat up old guitar will do the trick.

…maybe I should go to therapy too, but we don’t need to open that can of worms right now

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Probably the pressure of being your own business. The nearly impossible balance of working constantly to get your music heard (or exposure to whatever type of art you make), then having to drop that mindset instantaneously and go “be creative”. It’s tough to switch gears. Also it’s your life, so it’s not something you can really clock out from, or leave at the office.

Of course there are pros and cons of any career or lifestyle, but pursuing a career as an artist is certainly not for the weak-hearted, or soft-willed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joejenneman.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiltonallcaps/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoeJenneman
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3lK5Mcroy89Xs9S43NdZG2?si=gcc0_74vTkGjjmfKGWFkyw

Image Credits
Caleb Hwangbo