The Claudettes

Grounded in roots music yet pushing the boundaries of indie pop and rock, the Claudettes are writing the most riveting chapter of their story right now. Pianist/songwriter Johnny Iguana formed the Claudettes with drummer Michael Caskey, dazzling with the barrelhouse bravura of their 2013 debut Infernal Piano Plot…HATCHED! Another Yellow Dog Records release followed in 2015 featuring Nigerian-American singer Yana: No Hotel. Vocalist Berit Ulseth and bassist/vocalist Zach Verdoorn joined the band for Pull Closer to Me: Live in the Piano Room (2017) and Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium (2018, helmed by Grammy-winning Black Keys producer Mark Neill).

A new Claudettes era began when the band moved to Forty Below Records and released the acclaimed 2020 album High Times in the Dark and 2022’s The Claudettes Go Out! Now, the Claudettes introduce Rachel Williams, a six-foot Texan with a mohawk, a big voice and powerful stage presence. 

Outside the Claudettes, Johnny Iguana has earned a Blues Music Award nomination and Living Blues Award nomination for piano player of the year. Johnny co-founded indie-rock cult favorites Oh My God, toured as pianist for blues stars Junior Wells and Otis Rush, played piano on three Grammy-nominated albums and played on albums featuring Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, James Cotton, Derek Trucks, Gary Clark Jr., Shemekia Copeland, Keb’ Mo’, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and more. Johnny is also co-composer (along with JQ of the Q Brothers) of the score for the hit FX/Hulu series “The Bear,” which won 10 Emmys and three Golden Globes in 2024. Johnny and JQ have also teamed up to produce new Claudettes tracks that are coming in 2024…