If you don’t know who Jonny Lang is… then clearly you’re not into music. Period. This Grammy award winning Blues and Soul guitarist and vocalist has done it all – releasing six records, winning awards and playing with a Who’s Who List of artists: Rolling Stones, Buddy Guy, Aerosmith, B.B. King, Blues Traveler, Jeff Beck and Sting to just name a few.

He started playing the guitar at the age of 12, influenced by B.B. King, Albert Collins and Albert King. After his father took him to see the Bad Medicine Blues Band, Lang actually started taking lessons from the band’s guitar player Ted Larsen. Not too long after that, the band was calling itself Kid Jonny Lang & The Big Bang. They released “Smokin’” in 1996, and then Jonny went solo to release the critically acclaimed multi-platinum album, “Lie to Me” in 1997. “Wander This World”, “Long Time Coming” and “Turn Around” followed, the latter earning him that Grammy.

The latest live record is called “Live at the Ryman”, and we asked Jonny about the night it was recorded: “I think it’s a pretty good representation of our live show, which is of course what we’re going after. That night was a pretty special one for us as a band and it seemed like everything was going well that night. I’m definitely proud of it as a performance.” Lang is working on another collection now, so keep an eye out. He’ll be doing what he does best and touring the country this summer with his band, so check out the schedule and read on; you gotta read the XXQ’s from a guy who won’t let a stolen Grammy get to him...

XXQ’s: Jonny Lang

PEV: Hey man, how’s it going – where did I catch you? 

JL: We’re in New Jersey… somewhere, not sure (laughing).  

PEV: What’s going on in Jersey? 

JL: I’m on this Jimi Hendrix Tribute Tour (Experience Hendrix 2010 Tribute Tour). Its great man – great guitar players out here doing Jimi Hendrix songs. 

PEV: What kind of music were you listening to growing up?  What was the first concert you attended?

JL: Well, before I started playing guitar, I grew up on Motown and stuff like that – The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, all of them. But when I started playing guitar, I was into Nirvana, Violent Femmes, bands like that, but the guy I was learning guitar from kinda turned me onto Blues. He gave me an Albert King record and that was the first one I started playing along to. B.B. King, Albert Collins and Albert King were all very big influences on me as a guitar player. 

PEV: Tell us about your creative process… What kind of environment do you have to be in to make music?

JL: It’s different, you know? It changes. It can be any kind of environment for me to be creative though – I don’t have a certain thing going. It tends to happen at night is the only thing I can say specifically, really. 

PEV: What was that first Grammy like – winning for “Turn Around”? 

JL: It was real special for me – I didn’t even expect to get nominated and to win was quite an honor, man.

PEV: Where’s the award at now?  

JL: Actually, that’s a funny story. I think it got stolen (laughing). We had a holiday gathering at our house and some folks we didn’t know were there… we think one of them might have taken it. But whatever man – I got proof.

PEV: Your most recent release is “Live at the Ryman” – what should fans expect from this?

JL: I think it’s a pretty good representation of our live show, which is of course what we’re going after. That night was a pretty special one for us as a band and it seemed like everything was going well that night. I’m definitely proud of it as a performance. 

PEV: Your band has evolved over time – is there something really special about this current lineup on the record?

JL: Everybody is just really together and tight. Everybody listens to each other and has fun. 

PEV: Got any good stories from playing on the road?

JL: Nothing specific is coming to my head, other than on this particular tour having all of these amazing musicians and getting to hang with everybody. There are some impromptu jams that kinda happen backstage and that’s real cool. Other than that, I don’t know… I guess I’m sort of a disappointing interview. 

PEV: Haha! No, no. Is there anyone in particular on the tour that really stood out to you to partner up with? 

JL: I do three songs in the set and play them with Brad Whitford from Aerosmith and that’s incredible for me. He’s one of my favorites. 

PEV: Do you have a dream city that you’d like to play in?

JL: I’ve always heard about Prague – it’s a beautiful city and I’ve always kind of wanted to go there. 

PEV: What can we find you doing in your spare time, aside from playing/writing music?

JL: I like playing golf – that’s about my only spare time activity. 

PEV: You pretty good? 

JL: Well, I was before I had kids (laughing). Traded that for changing diapers, so my game is slumping a little bit, but definitely worth it.

PEV: You’ve played with some amazing people, from Rolling Stones, Buddy Guy, Aerosmith, B.B. King, Blues Traveler, Jeff Beck and Sting – Is there one artist or group out there that would be your dream collaboration? Why?

JL: James Taylor. He’s just one of my absolute favorites. James Taylor and Stevie Wonder are probably my two very favorite musicians.

PEV:  Is there an up and coming band or artist you think we should all be looking out for?

JL: That’s a good question… and I am not up-to-date. I’ll have to get back to you on that one man (laughing).

PEV: What's one thing we'd be surprised to hear about Jonny Lang?

JL: The closest thing I can think of is the golf thing. People don’t usually think of guitar players and golf… well, maybe they do. I’m a pretty uninteresting person (laughing). I pretty much just do what I do. 

PEV: So, what is next for Jonny Lang?

JL: I’m working on a record right now – probably about halfway done with it. After this tour, I’ll be hitting the road for the rest of the summer with my band. It’s a little too early to tell what type of record the new one is going to be… I think it’s going to be soul music, but that’s a pretty broad term. It’s still in those infant stages, so we’ll see.