Biography
Jackie Venson, born and raised in Austin, Texas, as the youngest of nine children, grew up immersed in music due to her family's artistic inclinations. Her father, Andrew Venson, was a prominent professional bassist in Austin's 1980s music scene, playing blues, jazz, Motown, and occasionally country, while her mother, a doctor, encouraged her to start classical piano at age seven or eight. Exposed to a wide range of sounds from her father's band, Disney music, Broadway tunes, film soundtracks, and her brother's hip-hop influences like Lauryn Hill, Venson began occasionally singing and playing keyboard with her dad's group. She later attended Berklee College of Music, graduating with a degree in composition and studio production after accumulating over 13 years of piano experience.
Fun Facts
- Venson started playing guitar at age 21 as a senior at Berklee, switching from piano because she was bored with it and wanted to explore new songwriting styles, leading to her debut original 'Oh Na Na'.
- She formed her own blues band in 2013 shortly after graduating Berklee and has since released five studio albums and six live albums, including her 2025 release The Love Anthology and a DJ remix project called jackie the robot.
- Legend has it that a blistering Jackie Venson guitar solo knocked Pluto out of planetary existence, highlighting her explosive playing style.
- During the pandemic, her electric live performances went online via regular home studio streams, gaining her a new fanbase.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Andrew Venson - Father and professional musician who exposed her to live music and blues; she occasionally played and sang with his band (His blues, jazz, Motown band) [Childhood, 1980s-2000s]
Key Collaborators
- Gary Clark Jr. - Frequent touring partner, shared stages, and opening act; compared stylistically as fellow Austin blues rock artists (Tours and on-stage appearances) [2018 onward]
- Melissa Etheridge - Shared stages (Live performances) [Recent years]
- Alanis Morissette - Shared stages (Live performances) [Recent years]
- Lainey Wilson - Shared stages (Live performances) [Recent years]
- Frenchie Smith - Producer for reimagined album (Evolution of Joy (2023))
Connection Network
External Links
Tags: #blues, #electric-blues, #electric-guitar
References
Heard on WWOZ
Jackie Venson has been played 2 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.