How a former Black Crowe changed Samantha Fish’s soloing style forever

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Blues guitarist Samantha Fish is no stranger to searing solos. However, she has recently recalled how one piece of advice from a former Black Crowes member was crucial in helping her change her perspective on soloing and redefine her playing style.

“I remember being in the studio with [former Black Crowes guitarist and North Mississippi Allstars guitarist and co-founder] Luther Dickinson and when we were working on my Wild Heart record,” she says in a new interview with Guitarist.

“I was recording a solo and didn’t have much direction for it, so I was just swinging in the dark. He gave me this really simple piece of advice that has helped to shape my approach since.

“Start with a simple melody, something people can sing, and build from there. Random riffs and flashy shit don’t really speak to the soul. The memorable moments are built off of strong melodies, and sometimes it’s so easy that we miss it entirely. Reinforce the hook or create one when you have the opportunity.”

In a Total Guitar interview from earlier this year, Fish also talked about her admiration for Slash's approach to soloing. “The best guitar players know how to tell a story and he’s definitely one of them. It’s not about coming out of the gate and saying everything you know, it’s about having a conversation with its own varying nuances. You take the time because there’s an art to storytelling."

She continued, “When you figure out how to do that on a guitar, that’s when you start using it most effectively. It’s all about the dynamics, and Slash has always done that really well.”

Fish just wrapped up supporting Slash on the first few dates of his S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival, a touring festival organized by Slash in support of his latest album, Orgy of the Damned.

For more Samantha Fish, plus new interviews with Richard Hawley and Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, pick up issue 514 of Guitarist at Magazines Direct.