JD McPherson

In the organizer's words:

JD McPherson on tour with new album "Nite Owls"

There are musicians who lose themselves in nostalgia, and then there's JD McPherson. The singer and guitarist from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, lives and breathes the sounds of the 50s - but instead of putting them in a museum, he energizes them and catapults them into the present. His new album "Nite Owls", which was released at the end of September, is proof of this unique blend of tradition and innovation.
McPherson's journey began far from the big stages, on a cattle ranch in southeastern Oklahoma. From an early age, his life was shaped by the vastness of the land, until a stack of old records from a classmate opened up another world: Little Richard, the irrepressible rhythm of rock'n'roll - and a new passion that was to define his life. Soon he was playing in small bands, first punk, then rockabilly, until he finally committed himself to rock'n'roll. His breakthrough came in 2012 when the label Rounder Records reissued his debut album "Signs & Signifiers" and the music video for the single "North Side Gal" struck a nerve. Suddenly, McPherson was in the spotlight - with a growing fan base and the attention of critics like Esquire Magazine, who praised him as having "one of the purest rock'n'roll vibes around".
In the twelve years since his debut, JD McPherson has continued to evolve his music. "Nite Owls", his first album of original material in six years, shows him from a surprisingly experimental side. Alongside the familiar vintage guitar sounds and slapping double bass rhythms, there are echoes of glam, post-punk and surf rock. "I wanted to see what happens when you merge Duane Eddy and Depeche Mode into one song," he explains with a laugh.
But the album is not just a sonic experiment, it is also a testament to McPherson's resilience. After a difficult period in which tensions in his band and the pandemic almost made him give up, he found his way back to music through collaborations with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss as well as a cover project. The recordings for "Nite Owls" at Reliable Recorders Studio in Chicago were a return to his roots: live, fast and full of energy. "I just wanted to have fun," says McPherson. "There are so many bands today that seem depressed and serious. I want to show how exciting music can be."
It is precisely this energy that he brings to the stage. In June 2025, JD McPherson will be coming to Germany for three concerts. A date that rock'n'roll fans should not miss - because anyone who experiences him live will understand why this musician keeps reaching into the sound of the past: to bring it to life.