The word “prodigy” is overused in the music biz, but Grace Bowers is a real-deal young funkster. Just 18 years old, she melds R&B, feisty blues-rock, and gospel flavors on a vintage Gibson SG Special, crafting licks guaranteed to make you groove. For proof, cue up her debut album, Wine on Venus, to dig that guitar tone and smokin’ band, The Hodge Podge. Prodigy or not, Bowers brings the heat.
How did your career get going at such a young age?
I really got my start when I moved to Nashville at 14 or 15. Back then, I was playing out nearly every night with all sorts of musicians. It didn’t matter what genre it was – I put myself into every situation you can think of, which turned out to be a great way to learn. I’ve always felt like it was dozens of little moments building up, plus I’ve gotten some great opportunities.
The album has a very live vibe. Did you cut the rhythm section live?
The rhythm section was recorded almost entirely live, which was very intentional. I also insisted on having the band all in one room so everyone could make eye contact, which I think is incredibly important. We definitely tried to take a more old-school approach to it.
What did John Osborne (VG, February ’24) bring to the production end of Wine on Venus?
I can’t imagine making this record with anyone other than John. He really understood my vision and was able to work with me and the band to execute it perfectly. I think he really nailed that “classic” sound while still bringing something new to the table.
People describe you as a blues guitarist, but the funk runs deep in “Get On Now” and “Tell Me Why You Do That.”
While I am blues influenced, I love, love, love funk. Some of the bands who inspire me are Funkadelic, Sly & The Family Stone, War, Kool & The Gang, Billy Preston, and so many more. Pulling inspiration from there, my rhythm chops are definitely something I have been working on. With this type of music, listening is the most important thing you can do, and a lot of times that means sitting back and letting the groove flow. My main guitar influences at the moment are definitely Leslie West, Santana, Eddie Hazel, and Jimi Hendrix.
There’s a mix of slide, acoustic, and harmony guitars on “Lucy.” Who’s playing what?
Me and my other guitarist, Prince Parker, who played the slide. I wrote the solo and we played it together in harmony; I played all the acoustic parts on a 12-string.
Talk about your picking, which mixes pick and fingers.
I’ve always switched between the two. If I’m fingerpicking, there’s still a pick in my hand. It’s entirely subconscious and I don’t even notice when I switch from one to another. You get completely different tones from your fingers versus a pick; I fingerpick when I want a softer, quieter tone, then pull out the pick when I’m really digging in.
With the SG Special, do you ever have feedback issues with the P-90s?
I actually have never had feedback issues. The guitar is from 1961 and I got it three years ago. It’s definitely my favorite guitar, but I find myself playing it less these days because I don’t want to travel with it. I would be wrecked if anything ever happened to it (laughs).
What do P-90 pickups give you that humbuckers don’t?
I lean more toward P-90s because I feel like you can get more variety of tone out of them compared to humbuckers.
Which amps do we hear, and what else is in your signal chain?
Right now I’ve got a pretty simple pedalboard that I plug into a Deluxe Reverb. I used minimal pedals, but did use a wah, phaser, and fuzz on the album.
Which other guitars did you use?
A lot of it was recorded on John’s 1960 ES-335 – I fell in love with that guitar. A few songs were on my ’61 SG.
Your band, The Hodge Podge, is super tight and a natural for live work. How do you rehearse to sand out the rough spots and deliver a killer show?
Lots and lots of performing! This band relies on improv a lot, which I love since we never play a song the same way twice. It was interesting to go into the studio where we got to sit with these songs and notice the little details in them. For the most part, I have everyone do their own thing over it. I think that’s what makes the Hodge Podge unique – we’re not trying to sound like anyone else.
This article originally appeared in VG’s October 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
