Jojo

With much of her childhood spent catchin' frogs, skinnin' squirrels, and wrestlin' with farm animals, JoAnna Lewis-Oldfield's memories are full of amusing stories to write about.  Growing up in the Appalachian foothills of Eastern Kentucky, she cut her teeth on mountain melodies and small-town country pride.  Singing in church at the age of 9 and raised in a family of singers and musicians, her love for music was nurtured early on.  In 1993, she began touring with a group of vocalists, known as The Appalachian Troubadours.  Contracted with the Kentucky State Parks for tourism events, festivals, and schools, JoAnna spent most of her summers and weekends on stage.  Notable performances include appearances at the Kentucky State Fair, The Renfro Valley Barn Dance, The Mountain Arts Center of Prestonsburg; home of the Kentucky Opry, and two guest appearances on the WSM Midnight Jamboree in Nashville, TN following the Grand Ole Opry with Rhonda Vincent and Jack Green.   

JoAnna's music career seemed bright but unfortunately came to a halt in the years ahead.  The bombardments of life and relationships took a toll; leaving her musical pursuits stored on a shelf for nearly ten years.  However, 'old habits die hard' and for JoAnna, music was one habit that would never die, so the re-emergence of her passion for music was inevitable.  Though life had been full of heartache and heartbreak, it only left her with better stories to write about.  So in 2014, with a renewed vision for music and songwriting, JoAnna's journey as an independent singer/songwriter led her to a collaboration with multi-instrumentalist and songwriter James Moore, via an online music directory.  Their debut album, Bluegrass & Roses:  A Tribute to Kentucky, is quickly achieving recognition throughout the state and beyond.   With no professional music training, JoAnna's raw, Appalachian vocals and poetic lyrics are a testimony to her hillbilly roots and mountain soul.  

With the dawn of 2020 came an unexpected turn of events that was felt throughout the world.  Accepting this as a time of transition, the duo once known as JOANNA~JAMES embraced the change and adopted a new image, rebranding with JoAnna's nickname and giving birth to Jojo James.  

JoAnna currently resides in Mize, Kentucky on a hill overlooking some of the greenest pasture in the mountains, with her husband Alan.  She tours regularly with Jojo James and serves as a community health nurse in 5 eastern Kentucky counties.  In 2018, JoAnna, along with her duo partner, James Moore, was juried into the Kentucky Arts Council's Performing Arts Directory.

 

*Dusti Rose Photography

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