It would be easy to dismiss this 18-year-old as a prefab gimmick, but Grace Bowers’ guitar work ain’t no hype. Armed with a vintage SG Special, she lays down real funk with her jam-band, the Hodge Podge, aided by producer John Osborne (VG, February ’24). Wine on Venus is that amalgam of R&B, blues, rock, and gospel perfected by the Tedeschi Trucks Band and now inspiring a generation of young musicians – just like Bowers.

Grace can rip on her Gibson, but also lay back, as on “Tell Me Why U Do That,” trading licks with co-guitarist Prince Parker. “Madame President” finds a Stax sweet spot, the kind of hands-in-the-air gospel so hard to capture on tape. Another part of the vibe is fine vocalist Esther Okai-Tetteh, and the whole band singing backups, reminiscent of Sly & the Family Stone. Speaking of Sly, Bowers delivers a crowd-pleasing (if predictable) cover of “Dance to the Music.” The closer is the soul ballad “Wine on Venus,” colored by Parker’s sweet slide before easing off the heat for Grace’s reverby break.

A talented, gimmick-free teen surrounded by expert players, Bowers is just getting started. Buckle up!

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.