INTERVIEW: Janet Robin

Perusing the 2025 NAMM Show schedule, my eyes immediately locked into musical trio, The String Revolution’s name. Coming across their Grammy Award-winning blazing phenomenal cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” last year, I knew I needed to connect with the group’s fascinating mastermind Janet Robin. Setting forth on her musical path early on in North Hollywood, California, being taught for four years under the tutelage of none other than future guitar legend Randy Rhoads, she’d eventually live many musical phases, moving on to serve as lead guitarist in Precious Metal, working with Heart, Poison and Cheap Trick.

That enough would be the highlight of most musician’s careers but that was only the start as she’d go on to tour in Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham band, worked with David Bianco and Steve Baughman on solo material and eventually connected with John Carter Cash, recording at the historic Cash Cabin, using some of Johnny Cash’s original instruments. I luckily got a chance at NAMM to sit down with Janet to discuss her storied musical chapters of her life who candidly shared the intimate details of studying with Randy Rhoads, writing with Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson, touring with Lindsay Buckingham and meeting rock’n’roll goddess Tina Turner backstage, Precious Metal’s music video with Donald Trump that almost happened, feeling Johnny’s spirit in Cash Cabin, teaching Jennifer Jason Leigh to play guitar on Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” set and her WTF Grammy Award-winning experience. The hour-long chat flew by, and I could have spoken to her for hours more.

Check out the in-depth interview soundclips below and visit Janet’s site here for more info on her future plans!