Hello and welcome.  I’m Beth Kohnen  ( sounds like “Conan”),  Chicago blues harmonica player and vocalist.  My greatest joy is to fill a space with mellow blues and watch people smile and kick back like they’re relaxing with an old friend. 

I grew up in South Portland, Maine and spent my time reading, playing the piano, and climbing trees.   In college I took as many literature courses as possible and played harmonica in an all girls jug band.  By 1978 I was raising a family, living in the San Francisco Bay Area, and playing gospel piano and harmonica in a lively church.  

In 1998 I fell passionately in love with the deep harmonica blues of Big Walter Horton.  Like many musician friends, finding my musical hero became the driving force behind every musical and career decision I have made since then.  In 2000 I met Steve Freund, the last guitarist to play with my hero Big Walter, and the first blues musician to understand my vision and invite me to share his stage.  In 2008 I quit my day job to play music.  

Beth Kohnen plays old Chicago style blues harmonica and has been a performing artist since 1998. She has recorded and shared the stage with W.C. Handy award winning guitarist Rusty Zinn, Grammy Award winning guitarist Steve Freund and Grammy twice nominated Willy Jordan and Bob Welsh.   Her sultry vocals and deep tone harmonica is a delight to blues aficionados everywhere.