AUGUST 2013: Rosebud Artists Ruthie Foster, Charlie Musselwhite, Marcia Ball And Muddy Waters Score Wins In The 2013 Living Blues Awards
Rosebud artist Ruthie Foster has been named Blues Artist of the Year (Female) in the 20th Annual Living Blues Awards Critics' Poll. This is the second time Ruthie has won this category. Meanwhile, Marcia Ball and Charlie Musselwhite have again been voted as winners in the 2013 Living Blues Reader's Poll. Marcia has been named Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) - for the third year in a row and for the fifth time overall since 2007. Charlie Musselwhite also continues to add to his wins in the Reader's Poll by being voted the Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) - his 8th win in this category since 2004. He has also won this category twice before in the Living Blues Critics Poll. Muddy Waters (a Rosebud artist until his passing) and The Rolling Stones (whose drummer, Charlie Watts, is represented by Rosebud for his special Jazz projects) also received a nod for their live DVD, Live at Checkerboard Lounge, winning the Reader's Poll Best Blues DVD of 2012 category.
Marcia Ball and Charlie Musselwhite were each nominated for awards for Blues Artist of the Year and Most Outstanding Musician (for their respective instruments). Marcia has won both of these categories three times since 2009 with additional wins for Most Outstanding Musician in 2007 and 2008, and Charlie has won the Most Outstanding Musician category a total of nine times.
Also nominated for Most Outstanding Musician this year were Jon Cleary, Duke Robillard, and James Cotton for keyboard, guitar, and harmonica, respectively, while Mavis Staples was nominated for Most Outstanding Blues Singer.
Ruthie Foster scored two nominations for Blues Artist of the Year (her third year in a row) and for Best Blues Album of 2012 for her 2013 Grammy-nominated album, Let It Burn. Bettye LaVette garnered a nomination in the Best Blues Book of 2012 category for her tell-all, unapologetic biography with David Ritz, A Woman Like Me.
Elvin Bishop was nominated for Best Blues DVD of 2012 for That's My Thing, and Muddy Waters, a Rosebud artist until his passing, was nominated in the same category for his collaboration with The Rolling Stones, Live at the Checkerboard Lounge 1981. Live at the Checkerboard Lounge 1981 also features Stones drummer Charlie Watts who Rosebud represents for his rare jazz performances.
Voting is now open to the public until July 15, 2013. Please vote at livingblues.com.
MAY 2013: Ruthie Foster Honored With Fifth Blues Music Award Win In Four Years, Muddy Waters / Rolling Stones DVD Also Wins BMA
Rosebud artist and 2013 Grammy nominee Ruthie Foster picked up her third consecutive Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year category at the Blues Music Awards on Thursday, May 9 in Memphis, TN. Ruthie's win makes for an impressive total of eight Blues Music Awards nominations and five wins since 2008. In addition to her three consecutive wins for Best Traditional Blues Female Artist, in 2010 Ruthie also won the Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year category and in 2012 she also won for Best DVD of the Year for Live At Antone's. The BMAs, which celebrated it's thirty-fourth year this year, has been proclaimed as being "universally recognized as the highest honor given to Blues artists."
Ruthie's longtime friend and collaborator Eric Bibb also scored at the BMAs, winning the Acoustic Artist category. Ruthie and Eric will join forces on tour again in 2014 performing on their own and together. The title of the tour, Thanks For The Joy, is drawn from a song composed by Eric and performed by Ruthie on her 2009 Grammy nominated CD The Truth According To Ruthie Foster .
Among the winners at the 34th annual BMAs was the CD/DVD Muddy Waters & Rolling Stones, Live at Checkerboard Lounge, which won the DVD category. The release captures the classic 1981 performance at the legendary Checkerboard Lounge in Chicago featuring the Blues icon Muddy Waters (a Rosebud artist until his passing) and Rock legends The Rolling Stones (whose drummer, Charlie Watts, is represented by Rosebud for his special Jazz projects).
Congratulations to all the winners as well as nominees Bettye LaVette and Elvin Bishop. Catch these Rosebud artists performing live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>
FEBRUARY 2013: Rosebud Artists On House of Blues and NPR Radio - Marcia Ball, Ruthie Foster, Tommy Castro and Charlie Musselwhite
Tommy Castro's Greedy was featured on The BluesMobile, on December 29 - 30, 2012. "Greedy" was selected by show host, Elwood Blues, as Elwood's "Blues Breaker" or favorite new song of the week. This is at least the third time Tommy's music has been featured on The BluesMobile.
Another recent Blues Mobile "Bluesbreaker" was Charlie Musselwhite and Ben Harper's "I Don't Believe a Word You Say" from their recently released collaboration, Get Up! segment from the January 12 - 13, 2013 broadcast.
Ben and Charlie were again featured on The BluesMobile on February 9 - 10, 2013 as Elwood Blues' special guests. On the show they were interviewed on the unique nature of their collaboration which first began when they both recorded with the legendary John Lee Hooker (a Rosebud artist until his passing). Elwood Blues exclusively played music featuring Charlie and/or Ben throughout the show including multiple tracks from Get Up!.
Get Up!, also featured in The BluesMobile's Blues Of The Month Club, can be streamed in its entirety at getup.benharper.com.
2013 GRAMMY-nominated Ruthie Foster was also featured as Elwood Blues' special guest on The BluesMobile on February 2 - 3, 2013. On the show, Elwood showcased Ruthie's songs as well as music by winners of the Koko Taylor Award (The Blues Music Awards' Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year) which Ruthie has won several times in the past. Among the topics Elwood interviewed Ruthie about was her magic recording moment with Stax Records legend William Bell and her transition from singing Gospel to Blues.
On January 22, 2013 Ruthie digitally released Keep It Burning, an EP featuring two previously unheard takes from the Let It Burn sessions as well as live versions of "Welcome Home" and "Aim For The Heart" recorded at the 2012 Notodden Blues Festival in Norway. "Don't Get Too Comfortable", written and sung by Ruthie and Stax Records legend William Bell, and a funky New Orleans studio version of the Foster-penned "Truth!" are also included on the new EP.
Also coming up on radio is Marcia Ball's performance on NPR's eTown with Paul Thorn, which was taped on January 20, 2013. The show's air dates are not yet finalized, but it will be available for listening on NPR/public, commercial, and community stations. Click here for more info and to find a station near you. This performance marks Marcia's third appearance on eTown which was recorded live in front of a theater audience at eTown's new solar-powered music facility, eTown Hall, in Boulder, CO. Typically the performance is interspersed with informal interviews with show co-host Nick Forster that explore the artist's roots and influences as well as his/her interests in social and environmental causes. A known supporter of environmental activism, Marcia has participated in events that support conservation efforts in the Gulf Coast.
To Catch Marcia Ball, Charlie Musselwhite, Tommy Castro, And Ruthie Foster Live, See Tour Dates >>
JANUARY 2012: Ruthie Foster's new digital EP Keep It Burning out January 22, 2013
Ruthie Foster has just digitally released an EP featuring two previously unheard outtakes from the Let It Burn sessions, as well as two live versions of songs that appeared on the album.
You can hear a new song, "Don't Get Too Comfortable," written and sung by Ruthie and Stax records legend William Bell. Also includes a funky New Orleans studio version of the Foster-penned "Truth!." Two live tracks "Welcome Home" and "Aim For The Heart," which were recorded as this year's Notodden Blues Festival in Norway, are also included.
JANUARY 2013: Carrie Rodriguez, Ruthie Foster And Marcia Ball To Be Featured At Texas State Society's Presidential Inauguration Ball
Rosebud artists and Texas musical ambassadors Marcia Ball, Ruthie Foster and Carrie Rodriguez are set to perform at the Texas State Society of Washington D.C.'s Presidential Inauguration Ball on January 19, 2013. Also known as The Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball, this bipartisan event in honor of President Obama will feature six stages with some twenty performers from the Lone Star State. In addition to Ruthie, Carrie and Marcia, the cast of Texas musicians performing includes Tracy Byrd, Jack Ingram, Asleep at the Wheel and more. The event will be held on the banks of the Potomac River at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center and will feature Texan delicacies and a "Texas Fair". For more information and tickets to the ball, please visit blacktieandbootsball.com.
To Catch Ruthie Foster, Carrie Rodriguez And Marcia Ball Perform Live, See Tour Dates >>
DECEMBER 2012: Rosebud Artists Nominated For 2013 Blues Music Awards
Congratulations to Bettye LaVette, Ruthie Foster and Elvin Bishop who were all honored with nominations for the 2013 Blues Music Awards. Elvin Bishop was nominated for Best DVD for That's My Thing: Elvin Bishop Live In Concert, giving him a total of seven BMA nominations since 2006 alone. In that same category was Muddy Waters, a Rosebud artist until his passing. Muddy shared a nomination for the DVD, Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones, Live at The Checkerboard Lounge. Ruthie Foster was nominated for this year's Koko Taylor Award (Best Female Traditional Blues Artist). This marks Ruthie's sixth consecutive year of BMA nominations, with a total of eight nominations and four wins to her credit. This comes directly on the heels of her GRAMMY nomination last week for Let It Burn. Bettye LaVette's nomination for Best Female Contemporary Blues Artist this year is her fifth BMA nomination. Bettye won this category in 2010. Bettye also won in 2004 for Best Comeback Blues Album for her Album, A Woman Like Me.
The 34th Annual Blues Music Awards ceremony will be held May 9, 2013 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. For more information and a complete list of nominees check out blues.org/bluesmusicawards. Congrats to Elvin, Ruthie, Bettye and Muddy on their nominations and best of luck to all the artists involved!
To Catch Bettye LaVette, Ruthie Foster or Elvin Bishop Live, See Tour Dates >>
DECEMBER 2012: Congratulations To Ruthie Foster On Her Second Grammy Nomination! Loudon Wainwright III, Bill Frisell and Trombone Shorty participants in Grammy Nommed CDs by Bonnie Raitt and Zac Brown Band
Ruthie Foster scored her second Grammy Nomination for her latest CD, Let It Burn. This is Ruthie's second consecutive studio CD to be nominated for a Grammy after 2009's Truth According To Ruthie Foster. This adds to a very impressive list of awards and nominations for Ruthie in recent years with the most impressive combination being her back to back Blues Music Award wins for Best Contemporary and Best Traditional Blues Female Artist of the year. In other Grammy news, Congratulations to our good friend Bonnie Raitt on her nomination for Best Americana Album for her hit record, Slipstream. Rosebud artist Bill Frisell plays on the CD while Bonnie covered the Loudon Wainwright III / Joe Henry co-write, "You Can't Fail Me Now", on the CD. And Trombone Shorty plays on Zac Brown Band's Uncaged album which scored a Best Country Album nomination. Good luck to all involved.
To catch Ruthie Foster and others Rosebud artists on live, See Tour Dates >>
NOVEMBER 2012: Marcia Ball and Ruthie Foster Featured in Austin Live Video
Rosebud artists and Austin, Texas mainstays Marcia Ball and Ruthie Foster are featured in Austin Live: Tick Tock, a brand new video short promoting the City of Austin. In the video, Marcia and Ruthie are featured among many of the city's best musicians from a variety of music genres promoting Austin's thriving music scene. Introduced by Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel, the video features Ruthie and Marcia singing segments of Blues legend Jimmie Vaughan's song, "Tick Tock". This unique collaboration, was filmed on the streets of Austin and, in addition to all the artists involved, also features shots of some of Austin's best known venues as well as a statue of Stevie Ray Vaughan who had performed the song on the record, Family Style, with Jimmie.
JUNE 2012: Ruthie Foster Nominated For Best Female Blues Artist In 2012 Blues Blast Music Awards
Ruthie Foster has been nominated for Best Female Blues Artist in this year's Blues Blast Music Awards. This is the second time Ruthie has been honored with a nomination in this category, having previously been nominated in 2010. The 2012 awards will be presented by Blues Blast Magazine, with the nominees having been chosen by a wide range of music industry professionals.
Ruthie's frequent collaborator, Hadden Sayers, is also nominated for his song, "Back To The Blues", which he recorded as a duet with Ruthie.
Voting begins July 1 and continues until August 31, 2012, and is free and open to the public. For the complete list of award categories and nominees visit Blues Blast Magazine's website, and cast your vote here >>
JUNE 2012: Rosebud Artists Nominated for 7 Living Blues Awards: Marcia Ball, Ruthie Foster, Mavis Staples and Duke Robillard All Up For Nominations - Cast Your Vote
Marcia Ball, Ruthie Foster, Mavis Staples and Duke Robillard all earned Nominations in the 2012 Living Blues Awards, with Ruthie Foster scoring two and Marcia Ball racking up an impressive three nominations - more than any other nominee this year.
Marcia Ball was nominated for Blues Artist of the Year (Female) and Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard), both being categories she won last year. She won the former category in 2009 as well. This year Marcia is also nominated for Best Blues Album of 2011 for her CD, Roadside Attractions.
Ruthie Foster was also nominated for Blues Artist of the Year (Female) for the second year in a row - this being a category she won in the Critic's Poll in 2010. This year she also brought in a nomination for Best Blues DVD of 2011 with Ruthie Foster - Live At Antone's.
Mavis Staples is also acknowledged as a nominee for Most Outstanding Blues Singer, a category she won in the 2011 Critic's Poll in which she also won as Blues Artist of the Year.
Duke Robillard earns a nomination for Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar), a category he has won 4 times in the Blues Music Awards (of an impressive 14 nominations).
You can vote at livingblues.com for your choices, as well as write-in candidates. All ballots must be received by July 10, 2012. Congratulations to all the nominees!
Check out these artists performing live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>
MAY 2012: Allen Toussaint, Ruthie Foster, Charlie Musselwhite and Marcia Ball Honored with Blues Music Awards
Ruthie Foster won the Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female of the Year, an honor awarded to her in 2011. In addition, Ruthie's Live at Antone's captured the DVD of the Year. Marcia Ball was honored with the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award making this her 5th win of her 14 previous Blues Music Award nominations in this category.
Formerly known as the W.C. Handy Awards, the BMAs were staged at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, TN, by the Memphis-based Blues Foundation. The annual event brings together Blues performers, industry representatives and fans from all over the world to celebrate the best in Blues recordings and performances from the previous year.
Ruthie's Let It Burndebuted at #2 on Billboard's Current Blues Album Chart behind only Etta James. It also hit the Top 10 on Amazon's sales chart and #1 in Blues on iTunes and Amazon during it's first week of release. The album features The Blind Boys of Alabama, soul legend William Bell, The Funky Meters bassist George Porter Jr. and drummer Russell Batiste, guitarist Dave Easley, saxophonist James Rivers, and organist Ike Stubblefield (Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Eric Clapton). It covers an eclectic group of songs originally performed by Adele, The Black Keys, Los Lobos, Johnny Cash, The Band, Pete Seeger, Crosby, Stills & Nash, John Martyn, Robbie Robertson, and several new Ruthie Foster compositions.
Pieta's Mercury features Mark Knopfler as a guest on the album, playing guitar on "So Many Miles." Also joining Pieta are long-time collaborator Bo Ramsey (Lucinda Williams, Greg Brown), and great session players including Grammy-winning producer/multi-instrumentalist Richard Bennett (Mark Knopfler, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris), bassist Glenn Worf (Mark Knopfler, Aaron Neville, Tammy Wynette), drummer Chad Cromwell (Neil Young, Mark Knopfler) and multi-instrumentalist David Mansfield (Bob Dylan, T-Bone Burnett, Johnny Cash).
FEBRUARY 2012: Featured On NPR: Ruthie Foster (Weekend Edition) and Bill Frisell (Tiny Desk Concert)
Ruthie Foster and Bill Frisell were both recently featured on NPR and both appearances are still accessible via these links. Ruthie was interviewed on Weekend Edition on February 4th . The piece focused on her new album Let It Burn. Bill performed a Tiny Desk Concert at the NPR Music offices which premiered February 3rd. NPR noted of the set, "The brilliant and nimble guitarist reinvents the songs of John Lennon" - and this is the subject of Bill's latest album, All We Are Saying.
Ruthie's Let It Burn rocketed to the Top 10 on Amazon's sales chart as well as #1 in Blues on iTunes and Amazon during it's first week of release. The album features The Blind Boys of Alabama, soul legend William Bell, The Funky Meters bassist George Porter Jr. and drummer Russell Batiste, guitarist Dave Easley, saxophonist James Rivers, and organist Ike Stubblefield (Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Eric Clapton). It covers an eclectic group of songs originally performed by Adele, The Black Keys, Los Lobos, Johnny Cash, The Band, Pete Seeger, Crosby, Stills & Nash, John Martyn, Robbie Robertson, and several new Ruthie Foster compositions.
Bill's All We Are Saying recently ranked #1 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Chart and has been in the Top 10 regularly since it's September release. Joining Bill on the album are frequent collaborators Jenny Scheinman (violin), Tony Scherr (bass), Greg Leisz (guitars) and Kenny Wollesen (drums). Bill's interpretations of classic Lennon songs include: "Across the Universe," "Revolution," "Nowhere Man," "Imagine," "Please Please Me," "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," "Hold On," "In My Life," "Come Together," "Julia," "Woman," "# 9 Dream," "Love," "Beautiful Boy," "Mother," and "Give Peace a Chance."
Catch Ruthie touring extensively across the US and Bill performing in a wide variety of formats, please see Tour Dates >>
JANUARY 2012: Ruthie Foster Celebrates Let It Burn Release with Webcast Concert Event from The Grammy Museum
Let It Burn has been receiving rave reviews with The Los Angeles Times calling the CD "a captivating blend of soul, blues, gospel, New Orleans funk, folk rock and R&B." LA Weekly praises Foster, "whose employ of gritty, Mavis Staples-ish spiritual bite, funky wah-wah limned grooves and blues-enriched soul deep testimony is revelatory in its simple humanity." Blues Revue gave Let It Burn a 10 out of 10 review, noting among other highlights that Ruthie's rendition of Pete Seeger's hit, "If I Had A Hammer," "reaches a new level, inspirationally."
Let It Burn was recorded in New Orleans with producer John Chelew (The Blind Boys of Alabama, John Hiatt, Richard Thompson) and featuresThe Blind Boys of Alabama, soul legend William Bell,The Funky Meters bassist George Porter Jr. and drummer Russell Batiste, guitarist Dave Easley, saxophonist James Rivers, and organist Ike Stubblefield (Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Eric Clapton). The album covers an eclectic group of songs originally performed by Adele, The Black Keys, Los Lobos, Johnny Cash, The Band, Pete Seeger, Crosby, Stills & Nash, John Martyn, Robbie Robertson, and several new Ruthie Foster compositions.
Catch Ruthie live on stage as she tours across the US in the coming months, please see Tour Dates >>
JANUARY 2012: Rosebud Artists Recognized In Village Voice 2011 Pazz & Jop Poll
Albums and singles released by Rosebud artists last year are recognized in the 2011 Village Voice Pazz & Jop Music Critics Poll, which calculated 700 critics' votes for their Top 10 albums and singles of the year.
Also recognized on the list:
• Buddy Miller's Majestic Silver Strings album which features Bill Frisell as well as a single from the album, "Meds"
• Ben Waters, Boogie 4 Stu: A Tribute to Ian Stewart, which features Rosebud Artist Charlie Watts
• Tom Waits' Bad As Me album, which features Charlie Musselwhite, as well as all five singles from the album that Charlie guests on ("Satisfied," "Bad As Me," "Hell Broke Luce," "Chicago" and "Raised Right Man")
• Steve Cropper's Dedicated: A Salute to the 5 Royales, which features Bettye LaVette
Congratulations to all the artists! Check them out live on a stage near you, please see Tour Dates >>
DECEMBER 2011: 7 Rosebud Artists Nominated for 12+ Blues Music Awards: Tommy Castro, Ruthie Foster, Charlie Musselwhite, Marcia Ball, Jon Cleary, Bettye LaVette and Duke Robillard All Honored with Nominations
Tommy Castro is once again among the most-nominated artists this year. He garnered nominations for B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, Band of the Year and Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year (all awards which he has won previously). In addition, Tommy Castro Presents The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue - Live! (which features Tommy and his band on their own and alongside various other artists) is nominated for Contemporary Blues Album of the Year. He is also featured in the nominated DVD, All Jams on Deck (shot on the October 2010 Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise). The "Jams" DVD also features fellow Rosebud Artists Marcia Ball and Coco Montoya among others. In a related nomination, longtime Tommy Castro Band saxophonist Keith Crossan is up for Best Instrumentalist - Horn.
Ruthie Foster is also among the most-nominated artists this year with 3 nominations: for B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, the Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year (an award she won last year) and DVD of the Year for her Live At Antone's DVD.
25-time BMA winner Charlie Musselwhite is nominated in 2 categories he won last year: Best Instrumentalist - Harmonica and Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year. Bettye LaVette is nominated for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year, an award she has won previously. Duke Robillard is nominated for the Gibson Guitar Award, an honor he has won previously 4 times (when the category was known as Best Instrumentalist - Guitar). Both Jon Cleary and Marcia Ball are nominated for Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year. Marcia has been honored with 4 of her 8 previous Blues Music Award wins in this category. This is Jon's 3rd nomination in the category.
NOVEMBER 2011: Ruthie Foster's New Album Let It Burn Features The Blind Boys of Alabama, William Bell And More - Out January 31, 2012
Ruthie Foster will release her new album, Let It Burn, on January 31, 2012. The CD features special guests The Blind Boys of Alabama, soul legend William Bell, and the rhythm section of The Funky Meters (bassist George Porter Jr. and drummer Russell Batiste). Recorded in New Orleans with producer John Chelew (The Blind Boys of Alabama, John Hiatt, Richard Thompson), Let It Burnalso includes New Orleans-bred guitarist Dave Easley, renowned saxophonist James Rivers and Ike Stubblefield (Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, and Eric Clapton) on organ.
In addition to two new tracks from Foster, "Lord Remember Me" and "Aim for the Heart," Ruthie adds her signature sound to songs by Adele, Black Keys, Los Lobos, Johnny Cash, The Band, Pete Seeger, Crosby, Stills & Nash and more. Let It Burn is also Ruthie's first album where she does not play an instrument. Foster explains, "It gave me a lot more freedom vocally. Without a guitar, all I did was concentrate on singing."
Ruthie recently won the 2011 Koko Taylor Blues Music Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year. This is her second consecutive Blues Music Award, following a win in 2010 for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year. She followed up her 2010 GRAMMY nominated The Truth According To Ruthie Foster (Best Contemporary Blues Album) with her first live concert DVD, and accompanying bonus CD, Live At Antone's, taped live at the legendary venue in her hometown of Austin, Texas.
In addition to touring with her own band around the world, Foster has also collaborated with a diverse list of artists including Warren Haynes, Big Head Todd, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Bibb and Paul Thorn. She's a regular favorite at an equally diverse list of festivals such as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Monterey Blues Festival, Merlefest and the Kate Wolf Festival.
JUNE 2011: Rosebud Artists Nominated For 7 Living Blues Awards: Marcia Ball, Ruthie Foster, Bettye LaVette, Charlie Musselwhite, Mavis Staples All Get Nods - CAST YOUR VOTE
The Rosebud Agency's 2011 Living Blues Awards Nominees: Blues Artist of the Year (Female):
- Marcia Ball
- Ruthie Foster
- Bettye LaVette
Most Outstanding Blues Singer: Mavis Staples
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica): Charlie Musselwhite
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard): Marcia Ball
Best Blues Album of 2010 (New Recordings): Charlie Musselwhite - The Well
Last year Charlie received his eighth Living Blues Award for Outstanding Musician (and his fourth in a row) and Ruthie was honored with Blues Artist of the Year (Female) in the Critics' Poll. Marcia was awarded in 2009 for both categories she's nominated in this year, adding to her wins in the Outstanding Musician category in 2007 and 2008. Bettye has previously been honored with two Reader's and three Critics' Awards, including Blues Artist of the Year (Female) and Most Outstanding Blues Singer. Mavis has also previously been honored with two Critics' Awards including Blues Artist of the Year (Female).
You can vote here for your choices, as well as write-in candidates: All ballots must be received by July 15, 2011. Congratulations to all the nominees!
MAY 2011: Ruthie Foster Releases First Ever Live Concert DVD & CD, Live At Antone's, June 21st
Ruthie Foster will release her first live concert DVD, and accompanying bonus CD, Live At Antone's (Blue Corn Music), on June 21, 2011. Taped live at the legendary Antone's in her hometown of Austin, Texas, the recording features Ruthie's touring band with members Samantha Banks on drums, Tanya Richardson on bass, Scottie Miller on keyboards and Hadden Sayers on guitar. The show includes past favorites such as "Stone Love," "Phenomenal Woman," and "Runaway Soul," and Papa Mali joins in as a special guest on "Heal Yourself." Also featured is a behind-the-scenes shoot of "Five Minutes with Ruthie Foster." The DVD will be available at iTunes and Amazon.com.
Ruthie was recently honored to win the 2011 Koko Taylor Blues Music Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year. This is her second consecutive Blues Music Award, following a win in 2010 for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year. USA Today raved of her latest performance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, where she held a headlining spot in the Blues Tent, stating, "Ruthie Foster's expansive, passionate voice sounded like it was nurtured in the Gospel Tent next door, but it commanded the stage in the Blues Tent as the Austin-based guitarist/singer tore through a dynamic set of R&B, country-tinged blues, folk and gospel songs." Catch Ruthie Foster live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>
MAY 2011: Congratulations to Rosebud's 2011 Blues Music Award Winners: John Hammond, Charlie Musselwhite, Ruthie Foster, Irma Thomas, Dr. John
Congratulations to John Hammond, Charlie Musselwhite, Ruthie Foster, Irma Thomas and Dr. John, who were all honored with 2011 Blues Music Awards! John Hammond, Inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame the night before, won Acoustic Artist of the Year. This is John's 8th Blues Music Award (BMA). Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Charlie Musselwhite won two awards, for Best Instrumentalist - Harmonica and Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year. Charlie is now a 25-time BMA Winner!
Ruthie Foster won the Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female of the Year; last year she was honored with the Contemporary Blues Female Artist Award. Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Irma Thomas won Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year, her 9th BMA and a category she won last year. Blues Hall of Famer Dr. John won the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award, his 2nd BMA (Dr. John joined Rosebud recently for International booking representation outside the U.S. and Canada). In addition, the DVD of the Year was awarded to Songs from the Road by The Late Luther Allison, a Rosebud artist until his passing. The performance captured on the DVD was recorded live in Montreal, July 4, 1997, shortly before Luther's death.
The 2011 Blues Music Awards were held May 5, 2011 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee and it was broadcast live on Sirius XM's B.B. King's Bluesville. Congratulations to all the Winners! Check out these artists performing live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>
FEBRUARY 2011: Charlie Musselwhite and Ruthie Foster Featured on New Album: 100 Years of Robert Johnson by Big Head Blues Club, Out March 1st
Charlie Musselwhite and Ruthie Foster are featured on a new album entitled 100 Years of Robert Johnson, credited to Big Head Blues Club and due out March 1, 2011. The band is comprised of Big Head Todd & the Monsters with guests including, in addition to Charlie and Ruthie, B.B. King, Hubert Sumlin (legendary former Guitarist with Howlin' Wolf), David "Honeyboy" Edwards (legendary former Johnson collaborator), Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm. The album is produced by Chris Goldsmith, who has produced GRAMMY winning albums for The Blind Boys of Alabama, Charlie's latest GRAMMY nominated album, The Well and Ruthie's 2010 GRAMMY nominated album, The Truth According to Ruthie Foster. Chris is also a former Rosebud Agent. 100 Years of Robert Johnson is a tribute to the late blues legend, in celebration of the Centennial of his birth, May 8, 1911. According to Chris, "We wanted to go back and get into the soul of Robert Johnson... We wanted to figure out what Johnson's intent was and to see what kind of music came out of the band after exploring the intent of the lyrics and the emotion of the songs. So we paid attention to the form of the music and to the unique chord structures and time changes he did. I pitched them on the idea of getting in touch with the dark side of Johnson, not the Disneyland version, and maybe working in some African beats and a heavier approach." Nearly all of the album was recorded at the famed Ardent Studios in Memphis, TN in less than 36 hours. "It flowed beautifully," Chris said, "Everybody clicked. It was one of the smoothest recording sessions I've ever been part of."
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