Kansas City blues musician Samantha Fish recently opened for legendary rock band The Rolling Stones. She says that although it was a major moment in her career, she knew she needed to keep her cool.
Samantha Fish performs at Wichita’s Cotillion Ballroom on Friday, Aug. 9.
Her current run of dates comes after a successful album, “Death Wish Blues,” which found her collaborating with fellow guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Jesse Dayton. The Grammy-nominated LP was well received by fans and critics and lauded as a bold step for both artists.
Speaking with KMUW earlier this week, Fish says that the collaboration has inspired her to revisit some of her past music and strive to continue the high energy performances she delivered with Dayton.
She also spoke about opening for the Rolling Stones on the final stop of the legendary British band’s most recent North American tour and participating in Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash’s recent S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
You teamed up with Jesse Dayton for the 2023 album “Death Wish Blues” and that, and the touring cycle that followed, seemed to go really well.
I think it was something that was really good for both of us because we were both so dedicated to our solo careers for so long. To put [that] project at the forefront of what we were doing I think opened up some avenues creatively for us both to try [things] that we wouldn’t naturally do on our own. It was just a good experience and then the record got a Grammy nomination. It’s just been nothing but a real positive cascading effect.
Do you have a different perspective or approach now to working with the solo band?
It’s been an interesting summer going back to touring solo because it’s not like we have an album at the forefront that we’re basing our shows around. I’m kind of digging back into the catalog and reimagining some of the old songs, figuring out new ways to perform. My focus has just been to put together a really good, really high energy show. I feel that the “Death Wish” show was something that … every night we would play it and the show would go by so fast even though it was still a good, solid 90 minutes to two hours every night. The songs were so fun and high energy it just felt like it flew by. I’m trying to take that spirit into my show, just keeping it fun and moving. I’ve always tried to do that when I’m creating a show … but now I’ve seen it executed really successfully. and [so I’m] just trying to apply the new things I’ve learned to that.
What have you discovered as you’ve gone back and revisited some of the older material?
I cringe on some of the older songs. “Why did I write that? That’s crazy.” Some songs you hear again, and you go, “Oh, man, I was writing about something that hadn’t really happened to me yet.” You hear it from a different perspective. It hits a little bit different. The appreciation for songs ebbs and flows. Some things I’m proud of more and more and more, and some things I feel like, “Ugh.” I think it’s like that, though. You grow into things; you grow out of things.
Is there room in the current set to go back and revisit things that fans have asked about over the years, tunes that have fallen out as you’ve made new albums?
Some of them do and some of them don’t. I still have to enjoy the show for me in some capacity. [Laughs.] We still have to create an entertaining show with a good flow. That’s my big priority when I write the set. I definitely try to make people happy as much as I can.
You shared the stage twice in the last year with the Rolling Stones.
We started off at Jazz Fest this year in New Orleans. We were on the same stage but two acts before them. But then we got to actually do direct support in the Ozarks a couple weeks ago.
Is that a case of, “We’re opening for the Rolling Stones. No pressure.”
I tried to just Zen out and not think about it. “Just do your thing.” Don’t worry about all the pressure. I feel like you work so hard to get somewhere you don’t want to ruin it with your own anxiety.
You were also part of Slash’s traveling S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival this year, which was cool because there were a wide range of voices involved.
It’s been pretty amazing. I think what he’s doing is incredible in putting together a lineup of artists who are incredibly different from one another, yet all coming together to play the blues, putting their stamp on it. I think it’s a really great showcase for how diverse the blues can be. He’s just such an iconic guitar player and musician. My inner child, my Guns N’ Roses freak/fan [was on display]. I was pretty happy every day. I was pretty elated. We got to share the stage a couple of times. He sat in with our band, and I sat in with his band one night. It was great to trade licks with him. Not many people can say that they got to do that with him. It’s pretty friggin’ cool. I know I’m very fortunate.
Does this mean “Welcome to the Jungle” will find its way into your solo sets now?
I wish! But maybe. You never know. We might. We’ve been known to throw a cover in there every so often.
You have shows lined up for the rest of the year. I’m guessing that this hasn’t given you much time to work on a new record. Are you eager to make a new album or do you feel like it’s OK not to have that commitment looming, which allows you to focus on just playing shows?
I actually just got out of the studio! [Laughs.] I’ve been writing songs all summer. We just went into a studio [on a day off] just to see what would work. I’m not so busy that I’m not trying to think about what’s next because, honestly, I need to be really excited about where I’m going. I want new music. I want the next step of what this is supposed to be. So, I’ve been writing and just trying to chip away at it. But, like you said, we are really busy, so you just get in the time that you can.
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