There are few musicians with a collaborative roster quite as impressive as Dave Grohl’s. As the former drummer of grunge outfit Nirvana and the driving force behind Foo Fighters, his impressive reputation has attracted the attention of some equally huge names. Throughout his career, Grohl has penned a track with Paul McCartney, played on a David Bowie album, and even declined an offer to become Tom Petty’s drummer.
Amidst his many creative collaborations and partnerships, only one artist can take the title of the most talented musician the drummer has ever worked with. Despite his love for the Liverpudlian songwriter, and much to the dissatisfaction of Beatles devotees, it’s not McCartney. Instead, Grohl has bestowed that title on pianist Norah Jones.
The two collaborated on a track in 2005 for the Foo Fighters record In Your Honour. As usual, the project features a few huge guest stars, including Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones, but Grohl was far more impressed by Jones. “Norah is positively the most talented musician I’ve ever been around in my life,” he once told The Independent on Sunday, “and that’s including some heavies.”
She certainly was going up against some heavies, beating out Bowie and a Beatle with ease. But Grohl’s admiration for Jones was not one-sided. She once stated that she had been a fan of the rockstar for “a long time” during a conversation with Billboard. Explaining how excited she was to receive a call from the Foo Fighters frontman, she recalled, “I thought, ‘Am I finally gonna get to rock?”
Her dreams of rocking out with Grohl wouldn’t quite come true, as the Foo Fighter had a slightly more gentle song in mind for the pianist. The two worked on ‘Virginia Moon’, a far calmer and more understated track than Grohl’s fans might be used to, but a beautiful one nonetheless. With harmonised vocals and tender instrumentation, it’s easy to see why Grohl was so impressed by Jones.
“She was unbelievable,” he enthused, “Perfect pitch, perfect time, perfect placement, perfect playing. We were absolutely stunned. She did two takes and that was it. In and out in an hour and a half.” Grohl was not only taken by her musical talent, but by her personality too, deeming her “sweet as sugar” and, perhaps most importantly for a musician in the studio, “a good hang.”
The tender track reveals a softer side to Grohl and demonstrates the collision of two musical greats. Humble and talented in equal measure, Jones seems a worthy recipient of Grohl’s praise. Revisit ‘Virginia Moon’ by Foo Fighters, with Norah Jones.
