![]()
|
Bettye LaVettes 1982 gem, Tell Me A Lie, will be available as a re-issued CD on May 20. Recorded in Nashville and released by Motown, LaVette cut 10 songs with top players including the Memphis Horns, featuring Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love. This critically acclaimed session from LaVette found her teamed with ace producer Steve Buckingham and included LaVettes R&B chart hit, Right In The Middle (Of Falling in Love). The CD is re-issued by Reel Music, remastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Bill Lacey in 24 bit from the original analog masters and accompanied by a deluxe 12-page booklet. Bettye LaVette will be touring extensively worldwide throughout 2008...see tour dates >> Tell Me A Lie will be available for purchase online May 20 through Reel Music >> and Amazon.com >>
Tommy Castro, Bettye LaVette and the late great Muddy Waters took home top awards at The Blues Foundations prestigious Blues Music Awards last night (May 8) in Tunica, Mississippi. Tommy Castro won big with his first two Blues Music Awards, honored with the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award and also for Best Contemporary Blues Album for his most recent CD, Painkiller. Bettye LaVette was recognized as Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist, her second Blues Music Award. Former Rosebud artist, the late Muddy Waters, won Best Historical Album for Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down, an album of previously unreleased recordings with Johnny Winter and James Cotton. Rosebud artists Duke Robillard and Ruthie Foster also received nominations this year. The Blues Music Awards are the highest recognition in the blues world, often touted as the Grammys of the Blues. Catch The Tommy Castro Band on tour throughout North America this year...see tour dates >>
Bettye LaVette, a 2008 Grammy nominee and just announced as winner of two Blues Critic Awards (Best Soul Blues Album and Best Blues Singer: Female) topped best of 2007 lists around the world. LaVette came in at #9 on Entertainment Weekly's Best Records of the Year and landed the #1 spot on No Depression's critics' poll. Entertainment Weekly dubbed LaVette as a force of nature well just have to settle on labeling as awesome. Scene of the Crime also conquered Best of 07 lists in the Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post and Chicago Tribune. LaVette was also celebrated in Best Of polls in music magazines and online outlets including Mojo, Paste, Harp, All Music Guide, Pop Matters, Metromix, Living in Stereo and countless others. Scene of the Crime is available at Amazon.com. Catch Bettye LaVette on tour in 2008. - see tour dates >>
Rosebud artists Bettye LaVette and Mavis Staples scored spots in the top 35 of Village Voice's annual "Pazz & Jop Poll" for LaVettes Scene Of The Crime and Staples We'll Never Turn Back. The annual poll combines ballots from 577 critics Top 10 lists to acknowledge the best albums of 2007. Additional Rosebud artists whose CDs were honored were Bill Frisell (for his work with Floratone and with Paul Motian and Joe Lovano) Loudon Wainwright III, Meshell Ndegeocello, Ruthie Foster, Pieta Brown, Ann Savoy and the late Muddy Waters. Compilations that featured Rosebud artists were Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur (Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars), Goin Home: A Tribute To Fats Domino (Allen Toussaint, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Trombone Shorty and Marcia Ball) and Song Of America (The Blind Boys of Alabama and Bettye LaVette). See the full list of albums at: Village Voice's annual "Pazz & Jop Poll" >>
Bettye LaVette, riding high in the wake of her first Grammy nomination, will appear on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on January 16th. Bettyes first Grammy nod comes under the category of 'Best Contemporary Blues Album'. Out less than 4 months, the CD continues to win accolades on a daily basis. The ANTI Records CD, Scene Of The Crime, was recorded with The Drive By Truckers and its all over the 'Best of 2007' lists. She has also just been nominated for three Blues Music Awards. Betty will be touring throughout the US and Europe in 2008 - see tour dates >>
Bettye LaVette, Tommy Castro, Duke Robillard, Ruthie Foster and Muddy Waters were honored with nominations for the 2008 Blues Music Awards just announced. Bettye LaVettes incredible year (Grammy nomination, Pollstar magazine cover story and topping many Best Of 2007 lists) continues with three nominations for Album of the Year (Scene Of The Crime), Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year, and B.B. King Entertainer of the Year. Tommy Castro grabs two nominations for Contemporary Blues Album of the Year (Painkiller) and B.B. King Entertainer of the Year. Duke Robillard yet again receives a nod for Best Instrumentalist - Guitar. Robillard has won this award an unprecedented four previous times. Ruthie Foster scores her first nomination for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year. And former Rosebud artist, the late Muddy Waters, is honored with a nomination for Historical Album of the Year (Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down - Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, James Cotton). The Blues Music Awards will be held on May 8, 2008 in Tunica, Mississippi. The 2008 Blues Music Awards >>
Amazon.com has released their annual picks for Best Music of the Year and Rosebud artists Bettye LaVette, Mavis Staples, John Hammond, Loudon Wainwright III and Bill Frisell are among those honored. Bettye LaVette's The Scene of the Crime was recognized as the #2 CD of the year in the R&B category, while Mavis Staples' We'll Never Turn Back (produced by Ry Cooder) was selected as the #5 CD of the year in the Gospel category. Mavis also makes an appearance with her family The Staple Singers on the #3 R&B CD of the Year The Stax 50th Anniversary Collection, which also features songs by Rosebud artist Booker T. Jones (of Booker T. & the MG's). Loudon Wainwright III's Strange Weirdos: Music From and Inspired by the Film Knocked Up was named the fifth Best Soundtrack of the year. And John Hammond's Push Comes To Shove and Richard Thompson's Sweet Warrior (Rosebud is booking Richard's 1000 Years Of Popular Music tour) made the Top Ten lists in the Blues and Folk categories, respectively. Bill Frisell's studio project Floratone (featuring Lee Townsend, Matt Chamberlain and Tucker Martine) was named the #5 Jazz CD of the year. Congratulations to all. To purchase the CDs and help support Music In Schools Today at no extra cost, please click here. Amazon.com: Best Music of the Year 2007 >>
The 2008 Grammy Award Nominations were released today (December 6, 2007), with Bettye LaVette and JJ Cale each honored with their first Grammy nod and Meshell Ndegeocello grabbing her 10th nomination. Both Bettye LaVette and JJ Cale are up for Best Contemporary Blues Album, for LaVettes The Scene Of The Crime and JJ Cale & Eric Claptons The Road To Escondido. Ndegeocellos 10th nomination is in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category for Fantasy from the compilation album, Interpretations: Celebrating The Music Of Earth, Wind & Fire (Stax). The Grammy Awards will be held on February 10, 2008 in Los Angeles.
Bettye LaVette is featured on the cover of Pollstar Magazine's December 10 issue which details her unique history, her relationship with The Rosebud Agency and gives the background story on her new, critically acclaimed CD The Scene Of The Crime, where she is backed by alt-country band Drive-By Truckers. The CD has garnered raves in USA Today "LaVette's chilling performance is without question one of the finest you'll hear all year", Rolling Stone, "LaVette's nuanced singing evokes Tina Turner with even more command" and Mojo magazine which declared The Scene Of The Crime "a strong contender for soul album of the year." Pollstar Dec.10, 2007: Bettye LaVette >> more press about Bettye LaVette >>
Rosebud artists Bettye Lavette and Duke Robillard have been nominated for Canada's 11th annual Maple Blues Awards. Selected by a distinguished panel of blues DJs and journalists across Canada, Bettye LaVette and Duke Robillard have been nominated for the B.B. King International Artist award. The Maple Blues Awards are coordinated by the Toronto Blues Society, and you can cast your vote Nov. 3 - Dec. 8 by visiting mapleblues.ca. Winners will be announced at the awards gala in Toronto on Jan. 21, 2008."
Song of America, a collection of culturally significant songs interpreted by contemporary artists, will be released September 18. This landmark 50 song, 3 CD set features recordings by Rosebud artists Bettye LaVette and The Blind Boys of Alabama, as well as John Mellencamp, The Black Crowes, Martha Wainwright, Devendra Banhart, The Del McCoury Band, Janis Ian, and Kim Richey. The compilation traces the history of our country through new versions of historically essential compositions. Proceeds from sales are to benefit The Center for American Music, National History Day, and Folk Alliance. Song of America (MySpace) >>
Congratulations to several Rosebud artists who were honored in the Living Blues Readers and Critics Polls. The Critics Poll named Bettye LaVette both Blues Artist of the Year (Female) and Most Outstanding Blues Singer. In the Readers Poll awards, Marcia Ball was named Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) and Charlie Musselwhite took Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica). The late John Lee Hooker, a Rosebud artist for 25 years, was honored for Shout! Factorys Hooker box set, which was named Best Blues Album of 2006 (Historical Recording) in the Readers Poll and Best Historical Reissue / Post-war in the Critics Poll.
Blues Revue will feature Bettye LaVette on the cover of its October/November issue, with an interview and story detailing the making of her upcoming album. The Scene Of The Crime, out September 25 on Anti-, is the follow-up to 2005s Ive Got My Own Hell To Raise and features Bettye collaborating with the Drive-By Truckers. The album was produced by Dave Barbe, Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood and LaVette herself at Fame studios in Muscle Shoals, AL, where the singer cut her first full-length record in the early 70s only to have it shelved by Atlantic. The Scene Of The Crime features LaVettes interpretations of songs by Willie Nelson, Elton John and more, with musical contributions from Muscle Shoals veterans including Spooner Oldham and David Hood (father of Patterson). The Los Angeles Times has described the result as "absolutely LaVette's album, full of simmering open space that lets her hard-fought revelations on love and liquor resonate." Look for LaVette on tour through summer and fall, with more dates to be added soon. ..see tour dates >>
Bill Frisell was named Best Guitarist for the fourth year in a row (and seventh in 10 years) in Downbeat's Critics Poll. Several frequent Frisell collaborators were also honored: Sam Yahel was on top in the Rising Star Organ category and Jenny Scheinman was named #1 Rising Star Violin, while producer (and Frisell manager) Lee Townsend, drummers Brian Blade and Joey Baron, and violinist Eyvind Kang were among the honorees in their respective categories. Bettye LaVette and Charlie Musselwhite both placed in the top 10 for Blues Artist/Group, and Tommy Castro was among the Rising Star Blues Artist/Group honorees. The Blues Album category included J.J. Cale & Eric Claptons "The Road To Escondido" as well as Musselwhites "Delta Hardware". Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaints "The River In Reverse" and Richard Thompsons "The Life And Music Of Richard Thompson" were honored in the Beyond Album category. Congratulations to all the honorees!
Rosebud Artists scored 14 nominations this year for the Blues Music Awards, formerly known as the W.C. Handy Awards. Charlie Musselwhite is nominated for 5 awards, including Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Traditional Blues Album of the Year (Delta Hardware), Song of the Year ("Church is Out") and his perennial nomination for Best Instrumentalist- Harmonica. Bettye LaVette is honored with two nominations for Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year (her fourth year in a row), as well as a nod for the top honor of the evening - B.B. King Entertainer of the Year. Marcia Ball also earned two nominations for the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year (4th consecutive nomination) and Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year. Duke Robillard received a nomination for Best Instrumentalist - Guitar and his saxophone player, Doug James, receives one as well for Best Instrumentalist - Horn. Mavis Staples is nominated for the fourth year in a row for Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year. Former Rosebud artist, the late Ruth Brown is nominated for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year and the late John Lee Hooker's just released box set, Hooker (on Shout! Factory), has been nominated for Historical Album of the Year. Rosebud owner/founder, Mike Kappus, coordinated 16 of the original featured recordings in the package. The Blues Music Awards ceremony and concert will be held May 10, 2007 at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis. For more information, please go to Blues Music Awards Information >>
Bettye LaVette graces the cover of the September/October Living Blues Magazine. The issue includes a 10 page feature on Bettye, chronicling her long career and her recent "breakthrough." Bettye's album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise continues to receive raves from reviewers and audiences Worldwide-including a just issued 5 page feature in Netherlands' Vrij Magazine.
Betty LaVette and her producer Joe Henry were both honored with awards in the July/August 2006 issue of Living Blues Magazine. Bettye LaVette was named Comeback Artist of the Year in the Living Blues Critic's Poll. Joe Henry garnered the Producer of the Year / New Recording award for his work producing Bettye's album, I've Got My Own Hell to Raise, on Anti Records. Consistent raves for the CD (as well as for Bettye's live shows) have been a major factor in Bettye's recent breakthrough to her largest audience ever. Watch for Bettye and her band to continue to tour worldwide (see tour dates).
Bill Frisell has repeated as Best Guitarist in the annual Downbeat Magazine critics poll (Aug 2006). Bill was among the very best in other categories including Best Jazz Artist and Best Jazz Album (for his East/West AND his collaboration with Paul Motian and Joe Lovano "I Have The Room Above Her"). Individual musicians from Bill's various touring bands were also recognized including Jack DeJohnette (#1 Drummer), Jenny Scheinman (#1 Rising Star Violin, Violin), Sam Yahel (#1 Rising Star Organ, Organ, Keyboard), Paul Motian (Drums), Brian Blade (Rising Star Drums, Drums) and Greg Tardy (Rising Star Clarinet). Bill's manager and producer Lee Townsend was also recognized in the Producer and Rising Star Producer categories. Rosebud artists Bettye LaVette and Marcia Ball were also ranked among the best blues artists. Bettye was recognized in the Best Blues Artist, Best Blues Album and Best Beyond Album for her latest release I've Got My Own Hell To Raise. Marcia was also recognized in the Best Blues Artist and Best Blues Album (Live! Down the Road) categories.
Bettye LaVette is to be honored by the Rhythm & Blues Foundation with their Pioneer Award June 29 in Philadelphia. Bonnie Raitt is set to bestow the award on Bettye who has been perfecting her craft for several decades before breaking through world-wide in the past few years. As an example, this week alone, she was featured on the House of Blues Radio Hour Sunday June 25 with Dan Ackroyd as well as on PBS American Routes. All of this is sandwiched between trips to Europe for some of the continents most prestigious festivals in 9 different countries - see tour dates >>.
New Orleans' own Dirty Dozen Brass Band and very special guests are paying tribute to Marvin Gayes Whats Going On, by releasing their reinterpretation of the classic CD on the records 35th anniversary. Adding even more weight to the project is the fact that the political and social issues of that era remain relevant today and are emphasized by the fact that the CD is being released on August 29, the anniversary of the Katrina disaster. The Dozen themselves were uprooted by the hurricane and the loss they shared with much of the Gulf Coast community is given voice here by the band and special guests G. Love, Ivan Neville, Bettye LaVette, Guru and Chuck D. The CD is being released by Shout Factory who are donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each copy of Whats Going On toTipitina's Foundation, benefiting the music community of New Orleans. ...more on press release >>
Bettye LaVette will be honored by The Rhythm & Blues Foundation at their upcoming Pioneer Awards. Previous honorees have included Sly & The Family Stone, Wilson Pickett, Curtis Mayfield, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and Etta James. The 2006 Pioneer Awards, scheduled for June 29 at Philadelphia's Park Hyatt Hotel, will honor Bettye LaVette as well as Motown founder Berry Gordy, Otis Redding and more. The R&B Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, service organization whose mission is to provide public recognition and financial assistance to rhythm and blues artists.
Rosebud artists Bettye LaVette, Mavis Staples, and Booker T. Jones are featured on the new Starbucks compilation CD, I'll Take You There - Voices in Classic Soul. Mavis Staples kicks off the CD singing lead on The Staple Singers' hit recording and title track, "I'll Take You There. "Bettye LaVette is featured on her 1965 recording of "Let Me Down Easy" while Booker T. Jones leads Booker T and the MGs on one of their best known hits, "Time is Tight." Other soul legends featured on the CD include Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Donnie Hathaway, and many more.
Starz InBlack will present the world premiere of the soulful blues concert "Blues Divas" during Black History Month on Sunday, Feb 5 at 9 pm et/pt. The film features musical performances by Rosebud artists, Bettye LaVette and Mavis Staples, as well as performances by Deborah Coleman, Irma Thomas, Odetta, Ann Peebles, Denise LaSalle and Renee Austin. The performers are also interviewed in the film by Oscar-winning actor and blues lover Morgan Freeman. "Blues Divas" was directed by noted music documentarian Robert Mugge ("Last of the Mississippi Jukes") and captures the soulful, passionate performances of these talented singers over a three-day weekend at Ground Zero in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the heartland of the blues. Catch Bettye LaVette and Mavis Staples on tour throughout 2006. See tour dates >>
Bettye LaVette will be featured on National Public Radios World Café on January 25, 2006. World Café is broadcast to over 180 stations - check worldcafe.org for your local station or listen online at www.xpn.org/listen.php from Monday to Friday at 2pm EST. Bettyes new CD, Ive Got My Own Hell To Raise (Anti), has ranked in the Top 10 on Billboard magazines blues chart since the records release in September, just jumping to #4 this week. The record has scored rave reviews in The New York Times and Rolling Stone as well as being ranked among the best CDs of 2005 in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer, Chicago Sun-Times, CNN.com and The New Yorker among many others. Bettye will be performing major shows worldwide throughout the year including a tribute to Joni Mitchell at Carnegie Hall, SXSW Music Festival and many more major events. see tour dates >>
Albums by Rosebud Artists Bill Frisell, Mavis Staples and Bettye LaVette were named in Downbeat Magazine's Best CDs of 2005 list. Bill Frisell, who was also named best guitarist in Downbeat's Readers and Critics Polls, was honored for both East/West and Unspeakable. Mavis Staples made the list with her album Have a Little Faith. Bettye LaVette was honored for her .album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise.
Rosebud Artists scored 13 nominations for the Blues Music Awards, formerly known as the W.C. Handy Awards. Marcia Ball is tied for most nominated artist overall this year with four nominations including Entertainer of the Year, Contemporary Blues Album of the Year, Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year, and Piano Player of the Year. Tommy Castro makes his first appearance in the Blues Music Awards with nominations for both Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year and Contemporary Album of the Year for his album Soul Shaker. Bettye LaVette was honored with a nomination for Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year for the third year in a row, as well as a nod for Soul Blues Album of the Year for her album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise. Last year's big winners Mavis Staples and Charlie Musselwhite were nominated again for Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year and Instrumentalist - Harmonica, respectively. John Hammond's album, In Your Arms Again, was awarded a nomination for Best Acoustic Album of the Year. Robert Cray's song "Twenty" was honored with a nomination for Song of the Year and the late Muddy Waters rounds out the Rosebud Agency honors with a nomination for Historical Album of the Year for the Album Hoochie Coochie Man: The Complete Chess Recordings, Volume 2, 1952 - 1958.
The year end "Best of" lists have begun again and Bettye LaVette, Duke Robillard and Tommy Castro are among those honored so far. Bettye LaVette's album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise garnered the #2 spot in the R&B/Soul category and #59 overall in Amazon's annual "Editor's Picks" list. In the Blues category, The Duke Robillard Band's The Duke Meets the Earl was named #3 and The Tommy Castro Band's Soul Shaker came in at #5. For more information and purchase CDs, please visit Amazon's annual "Editor's Picks".
Bettye LaVette has just been booked to perform on The Late Show with David Letterman this Thursday, July 28. Bettye will perform "Little Sparrow" from her upcoming release, I've Got My Own Hell To Raise, with the Letterman band. The new Anti Records CD is set for release on September 27 with extensive touring to follow.-- see tour dates. Watch Web-Exclusive Bettye LaVette "Little Sparrow" >>
Bill Frisell was voted Best Guitarist in the annual critics poll in the current issue (Aug 2005) of Downbeat magazine. Bill also ranks in several other categories including Best Jazz Artist, Best Composer, Best Arranger, Best Electric Group and Best Jazz Album for his 2005 Grammy winning CD Unspeakable. Individual musicians from Bill's various touring bands were also recognized as Jenny Scheinman was voted top Rising Star Violin and Sam Yahel was voted top Rising Star Organ. Brian Blade was also acknowledged in both the Best Drums and Rising Star Drums categories with Ron Miles ranking in Rising Star Trumpet. Rosebud artists Mavis Staples, Bettye LaVette, Charlie Musselwhite, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Duke Robillard also ranked among the best blues artists. Mavis Staples and Bettye LaVette were recognized in the Best Blues Artist and Rising Star Blues Artist categories, respectively. The Best Blues Album category acknowledged Charlie Musselwhite (Sanctuary), Mavis Staples (Have A Little Faith), Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama (There Will Be A Light) and Duke Robillard and Ronnie Earl (The Duke Meets The Earl).
Bettye LaVette has just finished recording her debut CD for Anti Records with Joe Henry producing. Henry produced Solomon Burke's Grammy winning CD, Don't Give Up On Me. The new CD is entitled I've Got My Own Hell To Raise and it is set for September release. Anti is the home to Tom Waits, Jolie Holland and Daniel Lanois. None other than Elvis Costello offers the first comment on Bettye's new CD; "You've got a singer here who is willing to stretch and not content to live in the safety zone. Bettye Lavette's voice is the superb line that connects Lucinda Williams' "Joy" to Dolly Parton's "Little Sparrow" via numbers by Sinead O'Connor and Joan Armatrading. Those songs never sounded better and neither has one of R&B greatest under-acknowledged vocalists". See bio from Anti Records >>. Bettye LaVette Signs With Anti Records Bettye LaVette has signed an exclusive recording agreement with Anti Records. Joe Henry, who produced Solomon Burke's Grammy winning CD, Don't Give Up On Me, is set to produce. Recording will commence in May with the CD set for early Fall release. Anti is the home to Tom Waits, Jolie Holland and Daniel Lanois.. See Press release >> 5 Rosebud Artists Honored With 12 W.C. Handy Blues Awards Nominations
The W.C. Handy Awards will take place on May 5, 2005 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, TN. For more information go to blues.org >>
Bettye LaVette was named Best Female Blues Artist in the just released Living Blues Critics Poll and Charlie Musselwhite was honored as Best Harmonica Player in the Living Blues Readers Poll. Bettye had also scored a WC Handy Award this year for Best Comeback Album of the Year and Charlie Musselwhite is a perennial Handy Award winner for Best Harmonica Player. The results of the Living Blues Polls are in the current September/October issue of the magazine.
Bettye LaVette performed with an all star group of musicians on Sirius radio network in conjunction with the release of Dan Aykroyds and Ben Manilla's new book Elwoods Blues, Interviews with the Blues Legends & Stars. In celebration of the release, Backbeat Books & The Sirius Satellite Network joined together and co-hosted a performance which featured blues greats from around the world. The band consisted of: Bettye, Mose Allison, Hubert Sumlin, Michael Hill, David Maxwell, Jerry Jemmott, Blue Lou Marini, Calvin Owens, Terry Silverlight, Nikki Armstrong, Ben Griffin, Rob Paparozzi, and Dan Aykroyd. The show will air on Nov. 15, 10PM (ET) on SIRIUS Blues. Buy "Elwoods Blues, Interviews with the Blues Legends & Stars" from Amazon.com >>
Rosebud Agency artists had a great night at the 25th Annual W. C. Handy Blues Awards Thursday April 29. Marcia Ball scored double honors for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year and also for Contemporary Blues Album of the Year for her latest Alligator CD, So Many Rivers (also a Grammy Nominee this year in the same category). Duke Robillard's guitar mastery was acknowledged once again as he was named Best Blues Guitarist for the fourth time in the past five years - a stunning achievement given the competition in this category. And speaking of consistency, Charlie Musselwhite picked up his 15th Handy Award continuing an amazing streak as Best Blues Instrumentalist - Harmonica. John Hammond once again won as Best Acoustic Blues Artist - a category he has begun to dominate as well. And Bettye LaVette who was barely known to the blues world last year won Comeback Blues Album of the Year for her CD, A Woman Like Me, one of her 4 nominations this year. Finally, Best Historical Blues CD of the year went to Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live by former Rosebud artist, the late Muddy Waters. A big Thank You to The Blues Foundation and all the fans for expressing their appreciation for the talent and hard work put forth by our artists. And a big congratulations to all of our artists for another great year of keeping the blues alive.
Acclaimed by those in the know as the greatest unrecognized soul singer of the past 40 years, Bettye LaVette was named the #1 "Artist Deserving More Attention" by critics in the Sept/Oct 2003 issue of Living Blues magazine. This recognition comes on the heels of a lead album review of her CD "A Woman Like Me" in the previous Living Blues issue that proclaimed "Lavette has only gotten better over the years and has crafted a disc that will surely rate among the year's best." Bettye has also been receiving raves for her soulful rendition of "Real Real Gone" on the recently released CD "Vanthology: A Tribute to Van Morrison" (Aug 5). Look for Bettye on the US West Coast in Sept/Oct and at music festivals again next summer -- see tour dates. Amazon.com: "Vanthology: A Tribute to Van Morrison" >>
Bettye LaVette is featured in current issues of the two largest circulation blues magazines. Living Blues features her in an extensive rave lead review while Blues Revue magazine follows their recent rave with a rare full page Q&A session. In reviewing the new CD "A Woman Like Me", Living Blues says "LaVette has only gotten better over the years and has crafted a disc that will surely rate among the year's best." LaVette, acclaimed by those in the know as the greatest unrecognized soul singer of the past 40 years, has also been the surprise hit at summer festivals across the USA and Canada as glowing reviews come in from both buyers and fans. Be sure to check out Bettye LaVette on tour throughout 2003.
Bettye LaVette made an appearance at the 13th annual R&B Awards held February 20 in New York City. Bettye presented an award to the Jackie Wilson family and then joined Isaac Hayes, George Clinton, Mary Wilson and others on stage for a group number. The group picture appeared in the New York Times on March 11 in conjunction with an article on the event. Bettye also performed on Mountain Stage on March 9 in Charleston, WV and was rewarded with a standing ovation from the enthusiastic audience. Mountain Stage is a nationally syndicated radio program and Bettyes performance is scheduled to air on May 9. |