Jon Butcher

New England Music Hall of Fame inductee Jon Butcher’s new album, Nuthin’ but Soul, is packed with vintage soul, R&B-influenced rock and roll, and Hendrix-style psychedelia. There’s also some cultural relevance. But it’s Butcher’s mystery fuzz that truly boggles the mind. Nuthin’ but Soul is like a stroll down memory lane. I’m so gratified that it’s been received as well as it has. It’s a tribute to the revolutionary music that opened my mind as a kid – James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, War, Sly and the Family Stone, and Graham Central Station – sounds that had a profound impact on me. It was a powerful feeling back then, and it was important for me to find a way to express those things in a way that wasn’t so boxy. Talking about things that have social relevance is tricky. That’s why I love Sly Stone so much. He was a revolutionary in presenting very complex ideas. Your guitar playing is a showcase of ’60s and ’70s rock and soul. If you’re a guitar player, there’s something on this record that will speak to you. It’s what spoke to me when I was growing up. You scrapped an album and started over. What happened? I finished 10 tracks and went through all the things you do to finish a record. I walked into the studio with my engineer. We sat down and listened, and I said, “This has got to go.” He said, “What do you mean?” I said, “This is not what I want to say. This is not where my heart is.” When you start a record, it takes you places you don’t expect. You realize that where you started is not where you end up. That’s exactly what happened. I finished the record, thought it was great, but then I thought, “No. I have things to say. The world is changing right before our eyes, and there is no way, as a writer, I can ignore that.” If there’s truth in your art, there’s no way you can avoid it. The best music always comes in a time of great upheaval, fear, and chaos. Unfortunately, those things seem to make great art. I don’t want to knock anybody who’s doing traditional blues or jazz. No one digs that more than me. But I had more to express. We’re living in tricky times, and now is the time for truthful voices no matter how they manifest. Truth in music comes across and touches people. What were some of the guitars you used? I used the guitars I tour with, which are a ’63 Olympic White Stratocaster and my backup, a ’63 sunburst Strat. Those have been in my hands for decades. Another I used a lot was a ’53 Telecaster that I restored and is now one of the best Teles I’ve ever had. Those three formed the foundation for Nothin’ but Soul. How about amps? I normally tour with a Marshall 100-watt plexi, but I’ve been scaling down. I’m using a 50-watt plexi head and a 2×12 Marshall cab. For the record, I used a ’63 Princeton, a Vibrolux, and a ’90s tweed Blues Junior. I wouldn’t sell that Blues Junior for 10 grand! It’s one of the best amps I’ve ever heard, period. I used it to play the “Star Spangled Banner” at Fenway Park in Boston. The sound is perfect. There are a couple of songs where I’m plugging straight into it. The purity of that comes across. What’s on your pedalboard? The Univibe copy that I use is called the Midnight Vibe by R Weaver FX. I’ve owned every Univibe and this is the one that has followed me through the years. R Weaver makes great stuff, and the Midnight Vibe is excellent. I also have a Vox Clyde McCoy wah and a Landgraff Dynamic Overdrive for when I want to get saturated stuff. Then I have a silicon fuzzface. I don’t know who made it or where I got it – there’s no label inside or outside and I’ve had it for 10 years. I don’t remember if someone made it and gave it to me, but I’m petrified to lose it because it’s the best fuzz I’ve ever had. I wish I knew what it was so I could get another one (laughs). What’s next? I’m focused on Nuthin’ but Soul and lining up U.S. and European dates for 2026. – Oscar Jordan This article originally appeared in VG’s November 2025 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.