JONATHON “BOOGIE” LONG – AN ARTIST SPOTLIGHT AND INTERVIEW
By Ralph Beauchamp
Jonathon “Boogie” Long is a Baton Rouge blues/rock guitarist who is dropping his new full length entitled Courage In The Chaos on 3/6. The lead single off the release is “A Fool Can See”.
Jonathan “Boogie” Long’s music lives in that sticky sweet spot where modern blues still smells like the swamp. His sound leans heavily on thick, overdriven guitar tones that feel gritty rather than flashy. His riffs crawl, snap, and simmer instead of sprint. There’s a strong Louisiana undercurrent running through his playing. It delivers echoes of bayou blues, Southern rock, and funk all braided together. This gives Long‘s songs a humid, late-night quality that feels both raw and lived-in.
Vocally, Jonathon “Boogie” Long brings a weathered sincerity that suits the emotional weight of his music. His voice isn’t polished or pristine; it’s textured, expressive, and sometimes rough around the edges in a way that makes the stories land harder. Whether he’s leaning into heartbreak, defiance, or weary reflection, his delivery feels fresh and unique. It’s like he’s talking directly to the listener across a barroom table. That honesty keeps his music grounded, even when the arrangements stretch into heavier or more experimental territory.
What really sets Jonathan “Boogie” Long apart is how comfortably he bridges tradition and modern blues. His songs nod to classic blues structures while embracing contemporary groove. “Boogie” lets funk rhythms, rock energy, and soulful dynamics breathe inside the frame. The result is a sound that respects where the blues came from without treating it like a museum piece. Long’s music feels alive, restless, and unafraid to get its hands dirty. It’s blues that moves forward without forgetting the mud on its boots.
Jonathon “Boogie” Long was kind enough to sit with AMP for this interview.
AMP: What first pulled you toward the blues, and who were the artists that really lit the fuse for you?
BOOGIE: I was introduced to the blues by a local Baton Rouge artist named Dixie Rose around the time I was 11. She was the first person to bring me out to the local blues jam. We had a place called “Swamp Mama’s” that did a Sunday Blues Jam and they had a kitchen and cooked free red beans and rice for everyone so as long as I had a guardian, I could go in and play.
I saw and eventually shared the stage with Kenny Neal, Lil’ Ray Neal, Larry Garner, Howard “Sundanze” Dunston, Kenny Acosta, James “Chicken-Scratch” Johnson and many more Louisiana Blues Legends right there in that club. Chris Alexander, a great B-3 organ player owned the place and was very supportive of see young people come up playing the Blues. I will also mention Michael Burks because he was and will always be my Blues hero.
AMP: How do you balance honoring traditional blues with making it feel current and personal?
BOOGIE: I have always had a deep passion for traditional blues. Playing traditional blues is like breathing. I don’t have to think about what to play next, I just become one with the groove and let it carry me how it sees fit. I have always been a writer of many facets but there is a taste of traditional blues in every aspect of my musical identity and that will never change.
AMP: Where do your songs usually start – lyrics, riffs or a feeling you can’t shake?
BOOGIE: I have certainly started at all 3 of those points at one time or another, but I do a lot of writing while I am driving within my own head. I’ll come up with a hook that I like, or maybe a groove, and I’ll hear the entire band in my head and just work it out. I’ve written many of the songs I have recorded behind the wheel.
AMP: Blues is rooted in struggle. Do you find it easier or harder to write when life is good
BOOGIE: Just because the blues is rooted in struggle doesn’t mean that we have to make every song a drag. A lot of times I try to write positive, uplifting blues music because that’s what I want to be and that’s what I want my message to be. Even my more serious blues songs are meant to spark some sort of positive or humorous thought process.
My goal is not to take away from the struggle that birthed the blues, but rather to be a positive light in a dark time. Everyone knows my baby left me one morning on a train leaving the station bound for Chicago, but what they need to know is that with a little courage, everything will be alright in the chaos.
AMP: Are there songs in your catalogue that still surprise you when you play them live?
BOOGIE: I’ve written and recorded a lot of songs, but something about my cover of “Empty Promises” by my hero Michael Burks really ends up being a special moment at my shows. I connect with the song deeply and it has always inspired me, so when I play it I always do my best to pay homage to my inspiration and because it can’t help but be genuine, it ends up be the memorable moment for a lot of fans and playing it still moves my soul to this day.
AMP: Your new album, Courage In The Chaos drops 0n 3/6. Can you give us a little insight into the release?
BOOGIE: This is a very special album that has a lot of songs that are very important to me and with the guidance and inspiration of my amazing producer, Jim Odom, I was able to finally finish them. We fine tuned a few songs that have been in my back catalog for years that I’ve wanted to put out to the World and we’re not only making that happen but it’s also my first release on vinyl which has also been a huge goal of mine.
Like I said previously, the world needs a little “Courage In The Chaos” and I’m hoping that at least one of these songs can bring someone joy or make them think of things from a different perspective.
AMP: What lessons did you learn the hard way early in your career?
BOOGIE: I’m not sure I learned it early on, but a big lesson is that no matter who has your best interest in mind, it’s essentially up to you to make the needle move in your career. I got comfortable in the fact that I was working with some of the biggest in the business and my relying on them to make things happen instead of making more moves on my own behalf has slowed my progress, but I now work more on doing my own part daily as far as socials and stuff and just trying to promote in general, and the growth and feedback have been inspiring.
AMP: What do you hope people feel when they leave one of your shows?
BOOGIE: I just hope that people feel better or more inspired when they leave than they did when they arrived. It’s not about me or feeding some ego, it’s about using the talent that I was blessed with to love on others and make them feel the healing power of music.
AMP: Are there any artists, past or present, you still dream of collaborating with?
BOOGIE: My favorite guys on the blues/rock circuit right now are Joe B and Eric Gales. I know them both pretty well and I haven’t had the chance to collaborate but that would be special for sure. My favorite guitar player that ever lived was a fusion player named Shawn Lane and just to sit in his presence would have been life changing. I would also dig a Robben Ford collab.
AMP: What are you exploring musically right now that excites you?
BOOGIE: I’ve been improv soloing a lot on social media to all styles of music, so I’ve been playing a ton. I’m more inspired by writing songs these days than just playing but I’m always processing new ideas and trying to get them down. I love listening to songwriters and I’ve been on a Jason Isbell and Stephen Wilson Jr. kick lately.
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