We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joe & Vicki Price a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Joe & Vicki, appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

In November of 2019 I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, then in January with breast cancer. At that time Covid had hit and we had no income. A friend started a go fund me for us. They raised $20,000 to cover the cost of my insurance. It also covered the cost of a new old vehicle to get me to treatments an hour and a half from my home. Our van had 465.000 miles on it from all our touring. We had made plans to buy a different vehicle. Unfortunately, Covid had put an end to those plans. This is the most wonderful thing I have ever had happen. In the middle of the cancer and Covid and no work. Panicked about how we would keep our insurance up and get me to daily treatments our fans came through for us in a very big way. I will never forget their generosity in our time of great need. I still cry about it.

Joe & Vicki, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In 1984 I was working at a bar in my home town when Joe came in to do a solo show. At that time he was with an Iowa City band called ‘Mother Blues”. I had never seen a blues slide player, I was only familiar with lap players and pedal steel players. He played a National guitar called Grandma. Joe is an amazing guitarist, you know you have seen something special when you hear him, something different. On his break the customers asked if I could play and he obliged. I did a short set. Later that night as I was cleaning up he asked if there was a place he could park his truck, he had it set up to sleep in. I took him to my house. We ended up playing guitar together until 10 o’clock the next morning. That’s where it all began.

Joe left the band and moved to a town near me. We began performing together shortly after. I had a ten year old boy, Keni who played drums. He came along with us to play the drums. It was a family affair. I had been working at the Lansing Button Company during the week and playing with Joe when he was booked close to home. The company had put me to work in the office on a computer. That gave me the skills I needed to take us on the road in a big way. In 2000 I left the company and took over booking us.

Before the internet word of mouth was the main way to find gigs. It was just about impossible to find a place out of your area. With the internet I was able to find venues and contact information. I also did promotion and developed an email list to let folks know we were in the area. We started heading west. Our first tour was a few days in Colorado and a few days in California. As we developed a fan base we were able to expand the tours. We ended up spending the next 20 years traveling coast to coast. It has been a wonderful life.

Touring forces you to be very disciplined. It also provides you with the stage time to truly develop your show. You learn what works and what doesn’t. How to play when you are sick and how to play 6 nights in a row after driving all day. You learn to have a spare of everything you need to put on your show. How to find a safe place to pull off and sleep. Where the best places are to eat and the worst. I have no regrets and a heart filled with good memories.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

First is the people you meet. In a world that wants to divide us music brings folks together. You learn from everyone. The vast majority of people are good, generous and wanting much the same things in life. To hear their life stories, their care and joys. To be welcomed into their homes. It just fills you with a hope for this world.

Second is the chance to make music. To write a song that someone relates to. To have the time to develop your art. To learn this business and be able to do it. It is a good work that at times pushes you to the limit but worth it in every way.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

During my cancer treatments I continued to perform. There were times that was impossible but when I could I needed that music and connection with people. Joe and I have always been amazed by the healing of music. You can be really sick and you play those first few songs and it all goes away. The sickness disappears into the background. The music makes you young again. It makes you strong.

We were fortunate enough to see Robert Junior Lockwood and Pinetop Perkins perform at the Helena Blues Fest years ago. They were both in their 90’s. They were slowly helped onto the stage. When they hit that first note it was like they were 20 years younger. Playing with power and ease. Music does that,

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.joepriceblues.com
• Instagram: joepriceblues
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100060608990268
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/joevickipriceblues

Image Credits
1. Peter Lee 2. Roger Feldman 3. Roger Feldman 4. Bradley Cook