Like many other artists who know how to "sing the blues", Jodi Jarchow had humble beginnings growing up on a small farm in Wisconsin. "Sweet Jodi" decided she wanted to sing at the age of six and was always climbing on the kitchen table to perform - much to her mother's disapproval.
She taught herself how to play the guitar at sixteen and bought a $75.00 twelve-string that made her small fingers bleed. But, she kept on practicing and by the time she was twenty had saved up enough to buy a decent guitar playing at every church function, family gathering or party she could. She wasn't shy.
"Sweet Jodi" started meeting with another guitarist once a week to play in the open area of a small shopping mall. His melody and her harmony were perfect in more ways than one and a year later he proposed. Having exchanged new guitars as wedding gifts, they wrote and sang their promise of love at their wedding. It was about this time Chris gave her the title "American Gypsy" which sticks with her to this day.
It wasn't too many years before Chris and his "Sweet Jodi" were going into debt, buying sound equipment and performing all over Wisconsin and Minnesota as "Sweet Jodi and the Double Eagle Band", later to be renamed "Wind River." They played some pretty big venues around the Twin Cities and their agent wanted to send them on tour for weeks at a time.
That's when the happy couple decided they could have just as much fun playing music in the kitchen. Besides, they had kids to raise. Mom and Dad being far away from home just wouldn't work. Even though, "American Gypsy" would sneak off in the night to perform in talent shows - and, come home with prize money, an extra $100 for family needs.
The rest of their seventeen years together, before Chris's sudden death in 1996, were spent working, limiting their traveling to the Midwest and singing the whole way. "This is the good life", Chris would say. And it was. But the sudden stillness of his voice, his melody gone, brought Jodi to a place where music was empty. It was quiet for almost a year.
Jodi's son Cal and her dear friend Dreaminghawk would help her laugh and soon music began growing in her once more. She began to write and recorded ten original songs simply as a legacy to her dear son. Her songs found an audience however on MP3.com and, with Dreaminghawks help and promotion has been keeping up with the competition on the Internet and venues throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.
"American Gypsy" has become a name on the Internet and performs an average of two gigs a week. Some of the local bands she has performed with include "Red Line", "Pork Chop", and "Chained Lighting". Her projects include writing and performing songs for Minnesota State agencies with an emphasis on diversity issues. She performs annually at motorcycle rally's in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
In addition to her numerous performances and appearances, American Gypsy and her late husband Chris (AKA Jackson Sly) created the annual "Apple Jam" in Somerset, Wisconsin. She won the New Richmond, Wisconsin radio valentine contest (with a song written for her husband) and was featured on Beach Radio in Florida for the grand opening of a U.S. Coast Guard Recruiting station.
She is now working on her forth CD. Her original songs are for sale on numerous Internet sites including AudioCandy.com, iTunes, CDBaby.com, Amazon.com and Rhapsody.
Why this name?
"American Gypsy" is not just a "handle," brand name or other business name. The name "American Gypsy" is a personal as well as business identity that has a spiritual, cultural, heritage and legacy tied directly to Jodi, her late husband and their son. This identity also has strong ties to the birth of the White Buffalo.
Although it is not fitting to do so in writing, I will attempt to tell the story.
Jodi and her late husband, Chris Jarchow, were followers of the Indian ways for most of their lives. Chris was told by his spiritual guide about a vision of the birth of the White Buffalo and that Chris was to journey to Janesville, WI carrying two messages. Between the time Chris was told of this message and his departure, many people whom he had never met (nor knew him) brought him gifts of tobacco and other individual fetishes to be presented upon his arrival. [I personally witnessed one occasion whereby an Indian elder brought him tobacco wrapped in traditional skins. This elder had never seen Chris before nor did he "know of him" except through his visions.]
When Chris arrived at the birthplace of the White Buffalo, a spirit-leader was waiting for him. The story of the White Buffalo includes the coming together of all mankind. Chris was the warrior chosen to represent the white-man and was called the "White Warrior." He was one of many who were called. A blind man by the name of Jason from Texas made the journey to represent the black community and many other spiritual leaders from around the world (including the Dali Lama) were called to this holy place.
Just months after his paying homage, Chris passed away of a sudden heart attack - at the age of 44. Due to a number of extraordinary circumstances, Jodi and her son lost their home and most of their business as well as all the material things Chris and Jodi had worked hard to leave their son. One of their businesses "American Gypsy Trading Company" (which sells leather apparel at biker shows) remains.
Her first CD "American Gypsy" was created specifically as a small piece of history and memory of what she, Chris and their son once shared. Since then her music has found audience all over the world.
The identity of "American Gypsy", which is a symbol of all her business dealings, her music, her personal identity, creed, sense of community, and the reputation she has build under this identity, is more than just a business or band name. She is "American Gypsy".
