BIOGRAPHY
Jo Wilkinson grew up singing songs of struggle:  labor, civil rights, and peace movement songs.  As a child of the 1950's, she sat at the feet of Pete Seeger at the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles, learning and singing songs from people all over the world.  "I used to listen to The Weavers before I could go to school.  I learned harmony from them, as well as how to sing out with power the way Ronnie Gilbert does.  She is my first favorite female singer."  Jo also heard Paul Robeson sing at the same church, and then at the age of 12, while living in New York City, her family went to hear Paul Robeson at Carnegie Hall, one of the most historic concerts ever recorded.  The impact of these treasured moments was fundamentally and foundationally important to her.  "My mother Jean, was a  social studies teacher, blacklisted in the 50's by the House Un-American Activities Committee.  My father, Frank Wilkinson, was fired from the Los Angeles Housing Authority after trying to create the first racially integrated public housing project in California, and because he refused to answer questions about his political beliefs.  Ry Cooder wrote a song about my father in his album, Chavez Ravine.  The song is called, 'Don't Call Me Red.' Check it out.  In 1961, Dad spent a year in prison defending the First Amendment, after being held in contempt of Congress by HUAC.  He then dedicated his life to the fight for civil liberties and civil rights, and was a great orator!  I knew I wanted to follow in their footsteps.  I chose the path of song."

As an adult, Jo has had the pleasure of singing several times with Pete Seeger.  She shared the stage and sang with Jackson Browne, and has led crowds in song at rallies with Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Jesse Jackson, Angela Davis, and many, many more.   During the years that the Ashgrove existed in Los Angeles, Jo sang there, opening for Lightnin' Hopkins. She sang in Detroit at the annual Buck Dinner, back in the 80's.  Jo is a singer whose powerful voice conveys the depth of her heart and soul, with a resonance that can vibrate through your breast bone.  She has sung both as a solo performer and as a group member in the most popular acoustic venues around Tucson and Los Angeles. After moving to Tucson in 2002, she was a founding member of 4 Corners (with Bobby Kimmel of the Stone Ponies, Stefan George and Lavinia White - now the BK Special),  which performed for more than three years in venues such as McCabe's in Los Angeles.  After leaving 4 Corners, she formed Grains of Sand, a contemporary folk music band, which has performed original music and traditional folk songs to rave reviews.  (See the Grains of Sand section of this website)  She has had the pleasure of singing with local favorite Kevin Pakulis, and Grammy Award winning Ricky Lee Phelps, of the Kentucky Headhunters.

A special project is a joint album with her son, Hip Hop artist , Eligh of The Living Legends.  The CD, released in March 2009, "On Sacred Ground:  Mother and Son" brought two genres together, as well as created a broader love and respect for each genre through music.  "It is an album of peace, love, hope, and strength, and tackles the issues of drug addiction, war and hopelessness."  Combining Jo's powerful voice in the folk genre, along with a sound only Eligh can bring out of her, and mixing it up together with some of the greatest underground Hip Hop artists in the country (including The Grouch of The Living Legends, Slug of Atmosphere, and Pigeon John), this album is a totally unique and masterfully created labor of love.  Some of the other artists lending their talents are Robert Miranda, and his stellar guitar playing throughout the entire album, Grammy Award winning percussionist Jiro Yamaguchi of Ozomatli, all of the members of Grains of Sand, Kevin Pakulis, and many, many more.  "One of the greatest joys of my life was touring with my son and being welcomed and embraced by thousands of hip hop fans." 

Jo is also the proud and delighted mother of daughter Sara, who graduated Phi Beta Kappa with Honors from the University of California, Santa Cruz in History.  Sara carries on the tradition of her grandmother, Jean, and greatgrandmother Lydia, teaching high school. "She is my lifeline --- my touchstone --- my best friend and confident.  Not only that, but she has the most wonderful man in her life, my 'other son', Arun!  I am one lucky momma!   And, on Earth Day, 4/22/10, Esme Juniper Khanna came into the world and made me a grandmother."  

If you love soulful music, sung with passion, power, and grace, you'll love exploring this site and the many talents of Jo Wilkinson.