Joy Oladokun Asks Who the Great American Songbook Left Out in New Songs of U.S.Sessions

WATCH HERE

The Music and Conversation Series From Salt Lick Sessions Also Features Durand Bernarr, Brandy Clark, LÉA THE LEOX, Maggie Rose, Raye Zaragoza and More

In Today's New Session, Joy Oladokun Reflects On Being A Child of Immigrants & Her Mission To Build Bridges Through Songwriting | MARIS' Session Kicks Off August 12

August 10, 2026 - Today, Joy Oladokun reflects on growing up as a child of immigrants alongside her passionate cover of Roy Hawkins and Rick Darnell's"The Thrill Is Gone" - later popularized by B.B. King - for Salt Lick Sessions' Songs of U.S. series. Her accompanying interview, out today, expands on the American immigrant experience and cites music as a universal language.

Joy Oladokun, who Rolling Stone deemed "Nashville's most low-key musical revolutionary," is an American singer-songwriter whose genre-blending music often reflects on her identity as a queer person of color born to Nigerian immigrant parents. She has opened national tours for Hozier, John Mayer, Noah Kahan, Maren Morris, My Morning Jacket, and more artists.

Songs of U.S. is a performance and conversation series that brings together musicians from across genres to reinterpret songs that have shaped the country's cultural identity while exploring what belongs in the American songbook today. Watch Salt Lick Incubator's founder Roger Brown discuss the series on Boston Public Radio , and watch Salt Lick Incubator's president Liza Levydiscuss the series and America's musical legacy in her interview on MS Now's Morning Joe .

Oladokun selected Roy Hawkins and Rick Darnell's "The Thrill Is Gone" as belonging to the American songbook due to its moving simplicity. As Oladokun emphasizes in her interview , the song "feels really powerful without being so poetic that people could be left behind," and she explains how songwriting is an inclusive, essential practice.

Tomorrow (August 11), Oladokun's cover of "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers will go live, which she chose as a song that deserves to be in the American songbook due to Withers' ability to portray the raw human experience. "Think 'Lean on Me,' 'Use Me,'" Oladokun passionately lists in her interview. "There [are] so many songs in his catalog that give you this sense of what it's like to need somebody."

Watch Joy Oladokun's cover of B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone" HERE.

Watch Joy Oladokun's Songs of U.S. interview HERE.

Forthcoming Songs of U.S. sessions featuring Brandy Clark, Farayi, Raye Zaragoza, and more will roll out throughout the summer via Salt Lick Sessions' YouTube channel and social platforms. Last week, sessions with Swamp Dogg(watch HERE )and Claire Ernst (watch HERE ) went live, and MARIS' sessionswill begin rolling out this week on August 12, featuring performances of Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me To The Moon" and Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline."

Across the series, artists reinterpret works by writers including Woody Guthrie, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, Beyoncé, Bill Withers, Roberta Flack and John Denver. Featured performances include Amy Grant 's take on "Carolina in My Mind," Mickey Guyton revisiting "Take Me Home, Country Roads," Tiny Habits reimagining "Blowin' in the Wind," Joy Oladokun performing "Ain't No Sunshine," Brittney Spencer interpreting "Killing Me Softly With His Song," Samara Joy performing Duke Ellington's "Le Sucrier-Velours, Paula Prieto renditioning "God Bless The Child," Trousdale covering "Amazing Grace," and Durand Bernarr reworking "Summertime," and Old Crow Medicine Show and Maggie Rose 's duet of "Beautiful Land."

Variety noted that Songs of U.S. arrives amid renewed conversations about patriotism and American identity, describing the project as offering "a more thoughtful and perhaps meaningfully patriotic approach" to celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary. You can read more about the series in Variety HERE .

About Salt Lick Sessions

Salt Lick Incubator's signature series, Salt Lick Sessions, is known for its artist-first approach to compensation, rights, and creative collaboration. The series takes viewers on a nationwide discovery tour, featuring more than 50 musicians each year through intimate video portraits that invite viewers directly into the artist's realm. Past performers include Jon Batiste, Big Freedia, Sheryl Crow, Lalah Hathaway, Mickey Guyton, Madison Cunningham, Tank and the Bangas, Dawes, and many more.

About Salt Lick Incubator

Salt Lick Incubator is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting innovative musicians at critical stages of their careers. Founded by Roger Brown, former president of Berklee College of Music and Liza Levy, the organization provides grants, mentorship, creative development and media platforms for artists building sustainable careers. Its signature series, Salt Lick Sessions, is known for its artist-first approach.

For more information, please contact [email protected] .