JP Soars feat. Anne Harris
Drop New Single “Goin’ to South Carolina”
Gypsy Blue Revue Due May 29th
via Forty Below Records
Pre-Order Here
Acclaimed blues guitarist and songwriter JP Soars shares a new single, “Goin’ to South Carolina,” the latest preview of his forthcoming album Gypsy Blue Revue, featuring violinist and vocalist Anne Harris, arriving May 29, 2026 via Forty Below Records. Pre-order the album here:
Built from a spark of pure spontaneity, “Goin’ to South Carolina” captures the loose, instinctive energy that defines Gypsy Blue Revue.
“The music for this song was essentially written in the studio on the spot,” says Soars. “I had the main riff at the beginning and one vocal line — ‘I’m goin’ down to South Carolina.’ We started playing the riff while the engineer was moving microphones. We all just kinda looked at each other, smiling. It fell into place immediately and felt great. We took a lunch break, I finished the arrangement, came back, and recorded the track. A couple weeks later, back in Florida, I finished the lyrics and vocals. I based them loosely on a character I had in my head.”
For more than two decades, Soars has built his reputation the way roots music was meant to be built — onstage, night after night. A fiery guitarist, soulful vocalist, and inventive songwriter, he blends blues, rock & roll, Latin rhythms, country, and gypsy jazz, guided not by genre but by feel.
That philosophy comes into sharp focus on Gypsy Blue Revue, a collaboration with Chicago-based violinist, vocalist, and songwriter Anne Harris. The partnership began in 2019 after the two met on the festival circuit and solidified their connection at the Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas. What started as a one-off performance quickly evolved into a dynamic creative union rooted in Southern soul, roadhouse blues, and eclectic folk influences.
Recorded live at a rural Ohio studio with no click tracks or overdubs, the album captures the immediacy of their performances. “We approached it exactly like a show,” Soars explains. “All in one room, playing together. We just wanted it to sound like us.”
The album also features Soars’ longtime bandmates — drummer Chris Peet and bassist Cleveland Frederick — anchoring the sessions with a road-tested groove.
The previously released single “Viper” delivered a cautionary tale wrapped in gritty swagger, while “Jessie Mae” draws from a real-life encounter with Hill Country blues legend Jessie Mae Hemphill. Together with “Goin’ to South Carolina,” the songs showcase Soars’ storytelling range and stylistic reach.
Photo by Laura Carbone
Born in California, raised in Arkansas, and now based in South Florida, Soars’ path was cemented at age 18 after meeting B.B. King backstage — a defining moment that set him on a lifelong blues journey. Since then, he has released six albums, won the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge and the Albert King Guitar Award, earned multiple Blues Music Award nominations, and landed releases in the Billboard Blues Top 10.
Anne Harris brings her own formidable background, having worked with Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal and spending a decade collaborating with Otis Taylor. A classically trained violinist and accomplished songwriter, her work bridges pop, folk, country, and roots traditions, adding texture and emotional depth to the project.
Gypsy Blue Revue ultimately reflects a shared musical ethos — one that values feel over form and connection over category.
“This is a music lover’s record,” says Soars. “There’s everything from Caribbean grooves to country songs to Django Reinhardt influences. If music moves me, I don’t care about the genre — and I think our audiences love that diversity.”
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Photographer and Editor/Founder of AllMusicMagazine.com. My love of live music has taken me to incredible experiences with the top bands of all time in stadium shows to the smallest venues with equally inspiring musicians. Using the medium of photography and my publication, these memories will last forever.