The Hook with Johni & Jess

Send Johni & Jess a text 24 years. More than 3,500 shows. 43 states. And one unforgettable night at the Grand Ole Opry. Louisiana-born country rock artist Chas Collins joins Johni & Jess on The Hook fresh off his 2026 Josie Music Award for Rising Star of the Year , and his journey to that stage is anything but ordinary. From losing nearly everything after Hurricane Katrina to chasing his d...

Send Johni & Jess a text Great music has a story. And we're here for all of it! 🎙️🎸 Go beyond the stage and behind the scenes with The Hook with Johni & Jess! From rising independent artists to music industry legends, we're diving into the stories, struggles, laughs, and unforgettable moments that make these artists who they are. Get a taste of what happens when musicians let th...

Send Johni & Jess a text Have you seen the guy on TikTok dancing in his yard while his neighbor plays drums across the street? Meet Ben Guidry — and trust us, there's a whole lot more to this Nashville musician than his viral dance moves! We're coming to you LIVE from Nashville! In this special episode of The Hook with Johni & Jess , we sit down with Ben for one of our funniest,...

Send Johni & Jess a text Virginia roots. Nashville dreams. And a bass-baritone voice made for country music. At just 26, Grayson Walsh is building his place in Nashville with a sound that blends traditional country storytelling, neon-bar energy and a little cinematic heartbreak. Raised in Glen Allen, Virginia, Grayson went from singing in choir to performing with JMU’s Exit 245, studying opera...

Send Johni & Jess a text From dive bars to stadiums packed with 100,000 fans, Mark Damon has lived just about every version of the musician's life. This week on The Hook with Johni & Jess, we're joined by Mark Damon of The Pretty Reckless for an unforgettable conversation about life on the road, the evolution of the band, and what it's like sharing the stage with some of roc...

Send Johni & Jess a text What happens when film, music and storytelling become more than entertainment — and start bringing people together? This week on The Hook, Johni and Jess sit down with Heather Waters , Founder and Producer of the Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF), as the festival celebrates its 15th anniversary September 22–27. Heather takes us inside the incredible story of...

Send Johni & Jess a text What happens when a kid raised by opera singers finds his voice in reggae? For Christos DC, the answer became a life that has crossed genres, cultures and continents. From his Greek-American roots in Washington, D.C., to years on the road with reggae legends including Don Carlos and The Itals, Christos has built a career around something increasingly rare: making the m...

Send Johni & Jess a text Richmond music legend James “Plunky” Branch joins The Hook with Johni & Jess for a wide-ranging conversation about more than five decades of music, creativity and cultural impact. From his early years in Richmond and time at Columbia University to the evolution of Juju and Oneness of Juju, Plunky shares how jazz, African rhythms, funk, soul and R&B shaped his u...

Send Johni & Jess a text What happens when three incredibly talented musicians share a studio, trust each other completely, and set out to make the best music they possibly can? You get JORDAN REIN . In this episode of The Hook with Johni & Jess , Jordan Rein , Peter Wellman , and Maddox Bruce join us for an unforgettable conversation about the evolution of their Richmond-based power trio,...

Send Johni & Jess a text From hitchhiking the East Coast with a harmonica in his pocket to performing on some of the most iconic stages in America, Gary Green has lived a life that sounds more like a movie script than a résumé. In this episode of The Hook with Johni & Jess , Gary shares the incredible journey that took him from teaching himself harmonica on the side of the road to winning...

Send Johni & Jess a text In this episode of The Hook, Johni and Jess sit down with Tennessee singer-songwriter Tyson Leamon for a conversation that spans faith, family, redemption, and a lifelong passion for music. Tyson shares stories from his earliest days singing gospel music in church at just three years old, traveling the country with his family quartet, and eventually finding his own sou...

Send Johni & Jess a text The Lonely Teardrops bring their signature blend of mod garage, surf rock, soul, punk attitude, and country heart to The Hook with Johni & Jess for a conversation that’s as colorful and energetic as their music. Joining us in the studio are founder, lead vocalist, and guitarist Katie Teardrop, bassist Simon Hall, drummer Ricky Tubb, and saxophonist Bryan Condra. To...

Send Johni & Jess a text This week on The Hook , Johni and Jess sit down with Virginia hard rock band Four Thirty Four ( 434) for a conversation that's equal parts music, mayhem, and brotherhood. Born from the Charlottesville music scene and named after Central Virginia's iconic area code, 434 shares the story behind the band's evolution, their unexpected reunion after a 20-year...

Send Johni & Jess a text What does it take to turn a lifelong dream into a feature film? This week on The Hook with Johni & Jess , we sit down with Josh Pavlock, founder of Osprey Media Studios and the writer, producer, and director behind the independent thriller Checked Out . Josh shares the incredible six-year journey from mowing his lawn and deciding to make a movie, to filming a featu...

Send Johni & Jess a text In this unforgettable episode, we sit down with legendary guitarist Stanley Jordan for a conversation that goes far beyond music. Known around the world for his groundbreaking two-handed touch technique and his ability to completely reimagine the guitar, Stanley opens up about creativity, consciousness, healing, collaboration, and the deeper purpose of art in today’s w...

Send Johni & Jess a text From front porch soul to backstage stories with music legends, this episode of The Hook with Johni & Jess takes listeners deep into the extraordinary life and career of Virginia music icon Steve Bassett. Steve joins Johni and Jess for a candid, funny, and deeply personal conversation about the moments that shaped his journey—from Richmond clubs and The Hazards to t...

Send Johni & Jess a text On this episode of The Hook with Johni & Jess , we sit down with visual artist Mary McNeill and music industry veteran Fluffy for a conversation that refuses to stay in one lane—in the best way. Behind the scenes, they serve as Band Manager (Mary) and Tour Manager (Fluffy) for Tim Reynolds and TR3 , bringing the music to life far beyond the stage. From the raw and...

Send Johni & Jess a text On this episode of The Hook with Johni & Jess , we sit down with Grammy-nominated songwriter, producer, and guitarist Will Kimbrough—an artist whose influence runs deep through the fabric of American music. From touring the world to collaborating with legends like Jimmy Buffett, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, and Todd Snider, Will has spent decades shaping songs t...

Send Johni & Jess a text In Part 2 of our conversation with Grammy-nominated songwriter, guitarist, and producer Will Kimbrough, we go even deeper—into the stories, the songs, and the legacy. We dive into Will’s decades-long relationship with Jimmy Buffett, including what it was really like being part of the Coral Reefer Band and co-writing some of Buffett’s final songs—most notably the emotio...

Send Johni & Jess a text From the Sunset Strip to the middle of the ocean, Scott Orchard has built a life fueled by music, risk, and saying yes to the moment. In this episode of The Hook with Johni & Jess , Scott takes us back to growing up in Los Angeles—surrounded by stacks of 45s from his dad’s radio station—to sneaking out as a teenager to front rock bands on the iconic Sunset Strip. F...

Send Johni & Jess a text On this episode of The Hook , Johni & Jess sit down with reggae artist Mighty Joshua —joined by his guitarist Ian Hartman (aka Ian I) —for a conversation that goes far beyond the music. From his early connection to the roots of reggae to building a sound that blends classic influence with global energy, Mighty Joshua shares the journey behind his artistry—and the p...

Send Johni & Jess a text On this episode of The Hook , Johni and Jess sit down with Chef K—a chef, cookbook author, TV host, and culinary tour guide whose passion for food began in a small village in Northern Italy. What started as learning recipes from local grandmothers turned into a full-blown career that spans professional kitchens, television, and global culinary travel experiences. Chef...

Send Johni & Jess a text On this episode of The Hook with Johni & Jess, we sit down with guitarist and songwriter Willie Williams , whose sound blends country, blues, and Southern jam rock into something both rooted and fresh. We talk about his leap from corporate America to pursuing music full-time, the stories behind his debut album Trouble Follows Me , and the incredible musicians who h...

Send Johni & Jess a text On this episode of The Hook with Johni & Jess, we sit down with Richmond artist, designer, and musician Sarah Frances Santamaria, the frontwoman of the band VEXINE, joined by VEXINE guitarist Paul Pearce.  Sarah shares the story behind her creative journey — from award-winning visual artist to songwriter and performer — and how art, music, fashion, design, and even...

Send Johni & Jess a text Every musician has a moment when everything changes—when music stops being something they enjoy and becomes something they need. In this episode of The Hook , Jess and Johni sit down with musicians Joey Davis and TJ Peterson, joined by fellow musician John Beckner, to explore the exact moment music took hold of their lives—and never let go. They dive into the firsts th...