Tommy Castro, Charlie Musselwhite and Ruthie Foster Honored with 2010 Living Blues Awards

Tommy Castro, Charlie Musselwhite and Ruthie Foster have all been honored with 2010 Living Blues Awards. Ruthie was honored with Blues Artist of the Year (Female) in the Critics' Poll. In the Readers' Poll, Tommy was awarded Best Blues Album of 2009 for Hard Believer and Charlie was awarded Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica). This is the fourth year in a row Charlie has received this award and it is his eighth overall Living Blues Award for Outstanding Musician. Congratulations to all the winners!

Catch Ruthie, Tommy and Charlie live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>

Irma Thomas Featured on HBO's Treme Season Finale

Irma Thomas, The Soul Queen of New Orleans, Joins Rosebud

The Rosebud Agency is proud to welcome Irma Thomas, The Soul Queen of New Orleans, for exclusive worldwide booking representation. Irma won her first GRAMMY in 2007 and has three additional nominations including one in 2009 for her Simply Grand CD. Among her other recent honors are a 2009 induction into the Blues Hall of Fame, MOJO Magazine's Legend Award in 2008 and induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, as well as being an 8-time Blues Music Award Winner. Irma recently appeared on HBO's hit series, Treme, in which she sang with an All Star backing band including Rosebud's Allen Toussaint, who produced some of her best known work. Her version of "Ruler of My Heart" was re-interpreted by Otis Redding as "Pain In My Heart" and her version of "Time Is On My Side" was later covered by The Rolling Stones. In 2008 Irma was honored as the subject of the prestigious New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival poster.

Bill Frisell Again Honored As Guitarist Of The Year & Other Rosebud Artists Score In Downbeat's 58th Annual Critics Poll

Bill Frisell has been honored for the ninth time in thirteen years as Guitarist of the Year in Downbeat magazine's 58th Annual Critics Poll (August 2010 issue). Bill is also named among the top overall Jazz Artists of the Year. Many of Bill's frequent and recent collaborators were honored as well: Joe Lovano was named #1 in the Jazz Artist, Group and Tenor Sax categories; also ranking high were Jason Moran (Piano, Piano - Rising Star, Composer - Rising Star), Sam Yahel (Organ, Organ - Rising Star), Jim Hall (Guitar), Russell Malone (Guitar), Marc Ribot (Guitar), Ron Carter (Acoustic Bass), Jack DeJohnette (Drums), Paul Motian (Drums), Jenny Scheinman (Violin) and also ranked #1 for Violin - Rising Star, Eyvind Kang (Violin - Rising Star) and Lee Townsend in the category of Producer - Rising Star. Lee is also Bill's manager and member of their side project Floratone.

Other Rosebud Artists honored with high rankings in the poll are Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews in the Trombone - Rising Star category for the 2nd year in a row, Bettye LaVette in the Blues Artist category for the 2nd year in a row, Tommy Castro in the Blues Album category for Hard Believer, Allen Toussaint in the Jazz Album category for The Bright Mississippi and Muddy Waters, who was a Rosebud artist until his passing, in the Hall of Fame category.

Congratulations to all!

Charlie Musselwhite will release his new album The Well (Alligator Records) on August 24, 2010. This is the first full-band recording in Charlie's nearly 50-year career for which he wrote or co-wrote every track on the album. Joining Charlie are guitarist Dave Gonzales (Paladins, Hacienda Brothers), bassist John Bazz (The Blasters), drummer Stephen Hodges (Tom Waits, Mavis Staples) and producer Chris Goldsmith (Ruthie Foster, Blind Boys Of Alabama), a former agent at Rosebud. One song features a duet with Charlie's close friend and fellow Rosebud artist, the legendary Mavis Staples.

A 2010 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee and 23-time Blues Music Award Winner, Charlie will be performing in concert with Cyndi Lauper and her band this Summer around the country. He is a featured guest on Cyndi's new album of blues cover songs, Memphis Blues. Charlie will also be touring extensively on his own, please see Tour Dates >>

Mavis Staples' new song "You Are Not Alone," the title track from her forthcoming album, has premiered on Pitchfork. Listen to it here. Mavis says she “shed some tears singing" the song, which was written by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco who also produced the album. Pitchfork praises the song's "lived-in, old-soul glory." The album will be released September 14 on Anti Records. Mavis will be performing at several festivals over the Summer, including Lollapalooza and the Wilco-curated Solid Sound Festival with extensive international touring to follow the release of the CD. Please see Tour Dates >>

Bettye LaVette's Guest Appearances on Good Morning America July 6, and Tavis Smiley July 9 Precede Three Night Hollywood Bowl Run

Bettye LaVette makes two more major TV appearances this week when she guests on ABC TV's Good Morning America on July 6 and on PBS's Tavis Smiley July 9. On the heels of rave reviews across Europe and stellar shows at the Ottawa and Toronto Jazz Festivals, Bettye follows up her recent David Letterman appearance with Featured Guest spots on Good Morning America July 6, and Tavis Smiley July 9.

	watch the full interview at pbs.org >>

July 9 also marks the first night of a three night run at Hollywood Bowl where Bettye is one of the featured performers backed by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra for their special Beatles Anniversary Celebration. Catch Bettye on tour this Summer and Fall, including her special guest slots with Robert Plant. Please see Tour Dates >>

Thank You To HBO's Treme For Featuring Allen Toussaint, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, Irma Thomas, Jon Cleary, and Music by The Dirty Dozen Brass Band

HBO's Treme series has completed a great first season but will be back next year. We'd like to take this occasion to say Thanks to all at Treme for shining the spotlight on New Orleans, perhaps America's most unique and culturally significant city, and its challenges after Katrina and the flood that followed. Thanks also for featuring the city's incredible music scene and incomparable musicians - including Rosebud artists Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas and Jon Cleary playing themselves on-screen, as well as music by The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. We look forward to watching the next season. Catch Jon, The Dirty Dozen, Irma, Allen and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue on stage this Summer, please see Tour Dates >>

Trombone Shorty Featured As WXPN's Artist To Watch For July

Trombone Shorty is featured as WXPN's Artist To Watch for July, click here to see the online feature.  The Artists To Watch series spotlights a performer, both on-air and online, who has produced an album or body of work that demonstrates outstanding vision, creativity and songwriting ability.  Based in Philadelphia, WXPN Public Radio produces the World Café radio show syndicated by NPR, among other programming.  

WXPN is also featuring audio from Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue's June performance at the Non-COMMvention music conference.