Today, GRAMMY-Nominated singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jontavious Willis released his new single “A Lift Is All I Need” — the song is taken from his upcoming album West Georgia Blues, out August 16th via Strolling Bones Records. Glide Magazine praised the track saying “the sinfully sweet minimalistic ballad features Willis crooning over a Waltz-style piano with palpable fuzz to truly evoke the spirit of blues’ vibrant history.”
Listen to “A Lift Is All I Need”
“This is a song based in Jump Blues and early R&B in the key of F, with a full band and myself only on vocals,” explains Jontavious. “The song draws inspiration from Amos Milburn. The tune is meant to motivate you in whatever you are in the mood to be motivated for - whether that’s doing sprints, or sitting on a couch with the munchies watching cartoons.”
“A Lift Is All I Need” follows the first three singles “Ghost Woman,” “West Georgia Blues” and “Keep Your Worries on the Dance Floor,” which Atwood Magazine described as “a smile-inducing, soul-soaked song full of stunning guitar work, sweet light, and heartwarming charm… [the track] will get the whole room moving and grooving, laughing and loving with an irresistible, undeniable kinetic energy.”
Jontavious Willis is on a mission to reinvigorate today’s Blues with the spirit of the past. Drawn to a time when the Blues were plentiful and rhythm reigned supreme, Jontavious leverages his unique sound—a synthesis of his Georgia heritage and the rich history of the Blues—to get the world dancing again. With a bawdy, playful sense of humor, he channels the lively “rent parties” and “juke joints” of yesteryear, imparting the vitality of the Blues across communities today.
Born and raised in rural Georgia, Jontavious first achieved widespread acclaim as a teenage phenom when he accompanied living Blues legend Taj Mahal—who would go on to dub him his “Wonderboy”—onstage in 2015. His first opportunity to tour nationally soon followed; he opened for Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ during their joint TajMo tour in 2017. In 2016, his debut album Blue Metamorphosis won the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge Award for Best Self-Produced CD. Spectacular Class, his 2019 GRAMMY-nominated sophomore album, saw Jontavious survey an array of Blues styles with dynamic ensemble performances.
Joyous and resonant, West Georgia Blues is an invitation to everyone out there—whether Blues aficionado or just passing through the genre—to connect with the very universal emotions captured through the Blues. Entirely self-produced, the forthcoming album comprises fifteen original songs that tackle time-honored themes from heartbreak and loneliness to celebration and self-discovery. Jontavious underscores the versatility of this genre and its enduring relevance today with humor and authenticity. While tackling time-honored themes of heartbreak, hardship, and resilience, Jontavious also reminds us that the Blues are meant to bring us together in times of celebration through song and dance.
Tour Dates:
August 1-4 - Port Townsend, WA - Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival
September 1- Bremerton, WA - Kitsap Blues Festival
September 7 - Evanston, IL - Evanston Folk Festival
September 8 - Bowling Green, OH - Black Swamp Arts Festival
September 19 - Nashville, TN - AmericanaFest
October 4-5 - Eureka, CA - Redwood Coast Music Festival
October 26 - November 2 - Blues Cruise
November 7- Pensacola, FL - WUWF RadioLive
