Reba Russell

Band

www.kpnbeatproductions.comwww.rebarussell.com

For Booking Information Contact:

Reba Russell901-465-6362

wrussell@netten.net

Kpnbeat ProductionsDoug or Mandy McMinn

901-485-1223 • 901-755-4899

kpnbeat@comcast.net

Josh Robert’s guitar appearson many of Brad Webb’s BoogieBarbeque recordings, including hisown release on this long establishedMemphis label.

He recorded with StevenSegal at The House of Blues Studioin Memphis on a project with Bluesgreats, Pinetop Perkins, Bob Mar-golin, and Koko Taylor. He hasplayed with a long list of contempo-rary Memphis musicians. A truemusician, he also plays bass, drums,piano and harmonica proficiently.

His latest contribution is tothe Reba Russell band’s �Broke Down But Not Out� and BleedingHeart recordings which have made it to regular rotation on satelliteradio. His specialty is slide guitar. His performances at the King BiscuitBlues Festival in Helena, Arkansas, and Morgan Freeman’s GroundZero in Clarksdale, Mississippi are legend. He has played with boththe Reba Russell Band and the Wampus Cats at blues festivals aroundthe world.

Doug McMinn has been a pro-fessional musician for over twenty-sixyears. He started his career at the ageof 15, growing up with both parentsperforming the blues. He worked withhis father, Papa Don McMinn, open-ing and playing for over 9 years atThe Rum Boogie Café on the leg-endary Beale Street. He has alsotoured Europe and the UK exten-sively over the past 10 years.

Live Performances include;The Coasters, The Drifters, TheShirelles, The Crystals, The Plat-ters, The Tokens, Chuck Berry,

Bowser (Sha Na Na), Percy Sledge, Peter Noone (Herman's Hermits),Danny and The Juniors, Tommy Roe, Albert King, George “Mojo”Buford, Bruce Carroll, Rufus Thomas, B B King, Ace Cannon, JohnAngotti, Papa Don McMinn, Tommy Allen, Sir Mac Rice, CarlaThomas, Regina Bell, Reba Russell, Larry Raspberry, Tracy Nelson.Recorded Performances include; Live At The Rum Boogie Café , BlackGuitar, Cornerstone - Don McMinn | Memphis Music For Him -Triplthret | Specials - Hope Studio Series Volume One | Blues Ain’tA Color - Mojo Buford | Do You Know - Linda Gail Lewis | HomeBlues, Just Like Last Night – Papa Don McMinn & Nightrain

Robert Nighthawk Tooms is a 30year veteran of Beale Street andthe Blues. Robert is known for his“stylin threads” as well his au-thenic Blues harp. He started playing the piano at

the age of 6 and by the time he hithis teens he had fallen in lovewith the Blues. He has been cre-ating music with The Reba Rus-sell Band since 1991 and alsorecords and writes music with hisown band, The Wampus Cats. Heis endorsed by the Hammond-Suzuki organ company, makers ofthe B-3.

He has worked with such bluesgreats as: B.B. King, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Paul Burlison, BillyLee Riley, The Hi Rhythm Section, Mark Wearner, Richard Hiteof Canned Heat, Big Bill Morganfield, Earl Forest, James Cotton,Rosco Gordon, Little Milton, Willie Foster, Blind Mississippi Mor-ris, The Memphis Sheiks, Don McMinn, Tracy Nelson, LarryRaspberry, Reverend Horton Heat, Bob Margolin and JimmyThackery.

Artist, Musician WayneRussell was born in Pontotoc,Mississippi to parents whopicked cotton on family land.Both his mother and fathercame from homes where musicwas a part of daily life. Most ofhis family members played andsang in church as well as com-munity gatherings.

At the age of 5, Wayneand his family moved from Mis-sissippi to Memphis Tennessee

where Wayne’s love of art and music blossomed. He fondlyremembers receiving art supplies and guitars each Christmasduring his childhood, and by the time he completed HighSchool he was voted most talented student.

He has worked with such great blues artist as TracyNelson, Barbara Blue, Don McMinn, Mojo Buford, JackRowell… When you hear him play, you have heard one ofthe best.

K E Y SH A R P S

V O C A L S

RobertNighthawkTooms

Josh Roberts

G U I TA R

Wayne Russell

B A S SV O C A L S

Doug McMinn

D R U M SV O C A L S

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BW:Tell me about your band.RR: We are a melting-pot style. In general, it's all Roots. Whether it has the

flavor of Rock 'n' Roll or R&B, it's gonna be things that were earlymusic for us. Those [Roots sub-genres] are our influences, no questionabout it!

Josh Roberts [on guitar] is playing with us. People are ab-solutely going to love Josh! This band I have right now is probably oneof the best configurations I've had in years. Josh is a young man who isan absolutely fantastic player - very tasteful. He plays the hell out of aslide guitar - unbelievable. Josh is a very fresh voice for me Blues-wise,

yet very traditional. He truthfully gets better every day. He is just soyoung that you can hear him get better and better.

Doug McMinn is on drums. He's an absolutely fantastic guy andgreat drummer. We're really pleased with and looking forward to work-ing with him as long as I can. He's just a great, great drummer. His dadis Papa Don McMinn. Don is a long-time, great Blues player from theseparts. He tours in Europe and gigs in the Memphis area. Both of hissons, Rome a bassist and Doug, are very accomplished musicians. Theapples don't fall far from the tree!

Wayne [her husband] is the bass player. He's doing great -[laughing] he's perfect in every way.

Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms is still with us. When I decided togo full-time Blues, Robert is the first guy I wanted to get in my band. Inthe eleven years or so he has been with me he has taught me so muchabout the spirit of Blues. He helped me understand it wasn't aboutpitch, structure, or thought - it was more about feel and emotion.Robert can blow harp, play piano and organ, write, and sings his fannyoff. He doesn't need me, but I sure do need him. The core of the band[Reba, Wayne, Robert] is always the same, but we really are hoping Joshand Doug are going to be happy in our band and stay with us for awhile.

BluesWax Sittin' in with

Reba Russell By James Walker 

Two Blues authorities, friends, and countless others have discovered Reba Russell and her band thesame way: they heard her voice while walking in Memphis. Former Blues disc jockey in Joliet, Illinois,D'Arcy Ballinger, lucked across a performance at Handy Hall in 1997. Bernie Cox and wife Shelly werewalking in Tom Lee Park during Memphis in May when they were knocked out by Russell's vocals accentuat-ing a beautiful afternoon. They discovered she is an incredible humanitarian who may be the best contempo-rary vocalist out of Memphis. Ballinger says, "Reba is the real Queen of Memphis!"

When he reviewed Russell's latest CD, Broke Down But Not Out, nationally known author Art Tipaldiwrote in BluesWax, "I have been listening to Memphis singer Reba Russell since 1995. My first glimpse of herwas on Beale Street in the Black Diamond on a Wednesday night. As she belted out the Blues, James Cottoncame running in. He and Russell did a half hour of rockin' Blues. Since then, I've been hooked on thatvoice. I've seen her backing Tracy Nelson, Jimmy Thackery, and others. And I've caught her voice at festi-vals throughout the States, and every trip to Memphis means scouring the papers to see if Reba's performingduring my short stay." Broke Down But Not Out was released in October 2005 and has been rewarded withseveral great reviews.

Explaining Reba's voice, Tipaldi wrote, "Reba Russell has polished her powerful voice with a maturitythat relies as much on brawn as it does on control, authority, and emotional nuances. She can still belt it out down and dirty, but she can also produce themost soulful vibrato a human voice can deliver. Vocally, she can vent in one breath, roar in the next, then whisper "mmmm" or "ooh" and have any man on hisknees...In a make-the-story-believable fashion, Russell's achingly honest, torrid delivery captivates from the outset."

On the Memphis scene for over 25 years, Russel has won three Premiere Vocalist Awards from the Memphis chapter of the National Recording Artsand Sciences and has released five independent CDs in the past seven years. The Reba Russell Band is Blues, R&B, and Memphis-bred Rock 'n' Roll at itsrootsy best. Reba also works regularly in Memphis studios as a vocalist and background vocalist. Among her proudest recordings are those for B.B. King,Lucero, Earl Thomas, Johnny Rawls, Jim Dickinson, Jimmy Thackery, Tracy Nelson, and on U2's Rattle and Hum - to name a very few.

To catch the Reba Russell Band, check her touring schedule at www.rebarussell.com. Check her out on Bluesville on XM Satellite Radio or, better yet,order a CD and see what the great reviews are all about!

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BW: Is there anything you want to talk about that we might not ask?Ever thought to yourself, "Just once I wish an interviewer would askabout...fill in the blank"?

RR: Hmmm, well I think it would be nice for once to acknowledge Wayne.I would not be a bandleader or maybe even a professional vocalist musi-cian without Wayne. He put together my first real band and gave methe support and encouragement to keep it up through the hard earlyyears. We were just friends in the beginning - no love interest. He wasjust a very kind and talented man who took an interest in my singingand held my hand until I learned the business. Thanks, Wayne.

BW:Tell us about your earliest experiences with music, both playing in-struments and singing.

RR: I was born in 1958. I may be getting old, but I am still quite young for aBlues woman. [laughs] My earliest interest in music came from my fam-ily. My daddy, who died when I was seven, bought a piano; he tried toplay trumpet and other things. He loved music and my mother loved todance so we had music around in the house when I was little. My oldersisters and brother had an extensive record collection so I had access tolots of varied music that way, too. However, I had only sung in the littlemiddle school choir before moving to Memphis in 1973.

When we moved it was like a big light bulb went off in myhead. There was live music everywhere. I had never been exposed tomusic close up so I was awed by the talent and excitement of all themusical influences. I received a guitar for my sixteenth birthday andproceeded to teach myself how to play by listening to records. By thetime I graduated from high school I could play pretty good and startedplaying at friends' parties and for my family.

Soon afterward I met Wayne, and he came up and told me thathe thought I was a really great singer. He told me if I wanted he wouldput a band together for me. Wayne was nine years older than me andhad been a musician in Memphis his whole life and played in numerousbands. I took him up on the offer, and I have never stopped since then.

BW: Next, the old standard question: Who were your influences?RR:My earliest influences were big band, Glenn Miller, Billie Holiday, and

more from my parents. But soon I discovered Elvis, The Beatles, JimiHendrix, Led Zeppelin, James Brown, Ray Charles, and those kind offolks through my siblings' record collections. I loved to sing along.

However, my real influences when I started to play were Mem-phis people like Jimmy Jamison, Joyce Cobb, Rufus Thomas, Rick Christian, and the people who were out in public locally on a regularbasis. I also loved Tracy Nelson, Irma Thomas, Bonnie Raitt, JanisJoplin, and Koko Taylor, but I didn't get to see them perform verymuch. I still love Rock and Pop music as well as old school Country,but none of it could compare to hearing Mose Vinson or Albert Kingor Furry Lewis live on Beale Street out in Handy Park.

BW:Wayne [husband and bassist] said you two only got more into theBlues when you met Robert Nighthawk Tooms. Describe your musicthrough your career.

RR: When we put my first band together we did everything from JacksonBrowne to Jimi Hendrix to Patsy Cline. I sort of eventually went TopForty because we could work so much more, but we always kept someBlues and R&B influences, too, stuff like Muddy [Waters] and Aretha[Franklin]. Right before I decided to go strictly Blues we were heavyinto Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and stuff like that. Somehow, it juststopped getting me off. We had friends who played with RobertNighthawk Tooms. Every time I would go hear them, the WampusCats, I would tell Wayne, "Man, I love that stuff! I want to play withthat guy." Before I even met Robert, I loved to go see him play. He wasa true Bluesman down to the soles of his feet.

The Blues just kept speaking to me. My band at the time wasvoted the best band in Memphis and about two months later I firedeverybody and just went in the other direction. That was about 1992.That is when I began to write more and decided to someday try tomake my own CD. It was so great to meet Dawn [Hopkins] in 1994 or1995 because she was so cool and I wanted to work with a female engi-neer. She was the house engineer for BB King's club for ten years. Sheand I hooked up and five albums later we are still a team. Like Wayne,Dawn has been instrumental in creating the Reba Russell Band soundas well as being my dear friend. She has introduced me to so many peo-ple in the Blues World and without her help I am not sure I could havecome as far as I have.

BW: Isn't Hopkins your producer, too?RR: Yes. Generally I do the music and tracking sessions to help the band get

through that and Dawn produces me. She does all the recording andengineering; she's really the brains of the whole thing, quite honestly.She is my equal business partner and we are the Blue Eyed Bitches Pro-ductions. She has known Jimmy Thackery for years and years and thatwas how I got introduced to Jimmy was through Dawn.

BW: Can you give an example of the importance of radio play? RR: When I get out in the world and play that's where you see the effects of

that. I played in Wyoming and people came up and asked, "Are you

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going to play such and such, like 'Move To Mississippi' [from City of theBlues] today?" So it really kind of takes you back because you don't ex-pect anybody to know who you are or what's up. So, if you get somegood airplay it makes all the difference in the world.

BW: I don't know what happens, but when you come to the Kankakeearea, you have a legion of fans that just absolutely go crazy. Every-where I go it's "When is Reba Russell coming back?"

RR: Awww, that's great to hear; that's wonderful!

BW: I just wondered if that happens everywhere you go?RR: Well, I am lucky enough to make a lot of return trips to some clubs and

festivals. It's always amazing to see people who've come back and comeback year after year to hear you and support you. That's one of the rea-sons it's worth it to go out on the road - is to see those people you madefriends with while you were there. Yeah, [laughing] it always freaks meout that people come back again and again. And it's great to play forbrand new crowds, which I did a lot of this year, too. It's interesting -their reactions.

BW: What is your take on the "new" Beale Street? Note: the original Beale Street buildings were mostly torn down and re-placed with glitzy, neon lit clubs catering to tourists and twenty-some-things.

RR: You can still hear Blues there, but you gotta come during the peak Bluestimes. Even during the International Blues Challenge and the BluesMusic Awards you still don't get the same type of Roots music availablethat there used to be. It's a function of the times. I understand thatthey're trying to draw everybody there, and that Blues is kind of a thingof the past. Most of the older gentlemen and women that played Blueshere have passed away. So they're looking for a younger crowd downthere, I think. But at the same time, I think [Beale Street] should beiconic of the Blues. That's where my disagreement lies with the folksthat run things.

There is still Blues on Beale Street, but it's usually in the tinierclubs. I have to say that Rum Boogie [Cafe] really has kept a better Bluesslate than probably many of the other clubs on the street. I have to givethem some props.

BW: Please speak to the state of the Blues and keeping Blues alive. RR: Well, you know, writers like me - you couldn't categorize my music as

Blues thirty years ago; whereas today it is. I think that, in the DeepSouth, some of us who still do relate to a lot of this music and try tokeep it alive, are playing our version of what it is for us now. I think allthe independent and small Blues labels that are out there with theirartists are doing the best job they possibly can. Blues is still alive and outthere, and Blues societies are very strong across America. You got tokeep your fingers crossed, but it's one of those genres where you justhave to tough it out.

All Roots music has a core, not a mass following. There're fans

that follow just Bluegrass and Reggae and some of those genres thatcome from the heart of the people just like Blues and Jazz do in our partof the country. It always lingers and somebody is always interested inlooking at it including some young people, but just not in the masseslike Top Forty or Country music right now.

BW: One final thing, please explain your ability to remain so sincere andunaffected in the music world.

RR: Well, that's just me. I mean that's me, that's who I am, that's who I'vealways been. I don't want to be different or special from everybody else.I'm just like everybody else; I just can sing. Some people can cook andsome people can...you know. I love being appreciated for my art. That iswhat it's all about - people clapping, and smiling, and buying my CD,and telling me it meant something to them. That's the whole reason yougo out in public, and do it, and make your money from it. It's a joyousthing to be able to play an instrument and sing. I love musicians and Ithink we are important to the world, but I think teachers are importantto the world, too, [laughs] you know? Fathers and mothers and all thosethings.

I can keep my feet on the ground, first of all because I have agreat husband, you know. I had a great mother, and a good upbringing,and a good, solid foundation. I got Jesus in my heart, too, so I got a lot ofthings going for me. But at the same time it's wonderful to be recognizedand it's wonderful to be able to almost make a living doing what I loveto do! That's the payoff.

Because I don't owe money, I don't owe a record companymoney, I don't have to push myself into not liking what I do. If you stayon the road 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 weeks at a time - I understand why peopleare on drugs, and alcoholics, and mad. I think the road absolutely beatspeople down; it does! It's hard, it is hard! Listen, I've tried to do that[laughs] - it's hard! Just leave everything behind, just don't think aboutthe problems at home, you don't worry about - you know, it's impossible!I mean it's just a very difficult thing. The people who do it do deserverespect. Because, I'm telling you, it is extremely difficult!That's the sad part about it, but it is the Blues. [laughing] What can Isay?

James Walker is a senior contributing editor at BluesWax. You may contact James at blueswax@visnat.com.

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Blues Blast - 2008 - James Walker“I hate to say that I’m a bleeding heartliberal or anything, but I am a child of the1960s. ...I just don’t like war, you know.‘What we do to each other IS what we doto ourselves’ – everybody I admire hassaid that: Jesus, Martin Luther King, Jr.,Gandhi, a lot of people, and I just believethat. ...I want everybody to get along andlove each other! ...it’s just a confusingworld to live in. So, the only thing Iknow to do is just to make my music andsay what I can say trying not to hurt any-body – at all. I’m just trying to make a fewpeople feel better ...or be happier, youknow. That’s all I can do!” Reba Russell, August 30, 2006. These quotes come from anextensive interview my radio show co-host D’Arcy “Shuffle Shoes” Ballinger and I didwith Memphis music maven Reba Russell. The interview revealed Reba to be sincerewith straight forward honesty. She was less pretentious than any artist I have ever inter-viewed or met! Two years later, that sincerity and honesty have manifested as the albumtitle to the Reba Russell Band’s powerful new CD, “Bleeding Heart.” Uniquely, there isno song track with that title, nor will one find those two words in any song. Track 4,“Love Is The Cure” does contain her heartfelt beliefs: “I love Muslims, I love Jews, I loveChristians and Hindus ... I want to love everybody like I love you. ... Love is the cure foreverything. (guitar solo) I hate war, I hate pain, I hate greed and murder the same ...Love is the cure for everything. ... Well, call me a hippie – a socialist Dawes; say my mindis melted, my intellect dust. I’ll still quote Jesus and like Martin Luther King ‘cause Loveis the Cure for everything!” The chorus has amazing harmony backup vocals by Rebaherself and The Masqueraders (Jackie Johnson, Susan Marshall, Harold Thomas, andSam Hutchin). People should not get the wrong idea here about Reba notes Ballinger,“She’s not a push over. You won’t fool her with [temporary] kindness. For proof, checkout track 7, ‘Some People.’ What a contrast, and it’s realistic to sing, ‘Some people needto be remembered; some people need to be forgot.’ That catchy line has been stuck inmy head for weeks.” Indeed, beyond that fourth track, the album contains a variety ofinteresting songs. For long time fans, this is not the same CD as last time. The albumportrays the person and the band and the different sides of both. The band consists ofReba’s long time mentor turned lover turned husband Wayne Russell – bass, Robert“Nighthawk” Tooms – keyboard and harp, Josh Roberts – guitars, and Doug McMinn(son of Memphis’ Don McMinn) – drums. It was recorded at Jim Dickinson’s Zebra

Ranch in Independence MS and co-produced by “BEB” partner Dawn Hopkins and Reba.“I like to call the album ‘nasty,’ and I mean that in a good way,” said Shuffle Shoes.“Robert ‘Nighthawk’ Tooms has always had a gritty sound that translates on to the band.There’s a complete variety of songs. They took a long hiatus to write, and it’s paid off.Each record gets stronger and stronger. When they come out of the gate strong, thatmeans this one is nasty!” “Red Mississippi Clay” is that “strong” opener. Starting withJosh Roberts’ Delta electric slide and Nighthawk’s harp, the story reveals the harsh share-croppers failure at trying to grow enough cotton in Mississippi. Even more powerful is ashiver-sending number, “Levee Prayer,” written by guest guitarist and frequent blues festpartner Jimmy Thackery. The Delta flood plain resident protagonist has “one foot on thelevee and one in the grave” as flood waters have taken away absolutely everything hevalued. In one hand he has a Bible, the other a gun. Will desperation lead to his perceivedsin of suicide? For love songs, there are “Memphis Moon Tonight,” “Miss Me,” “To KnowYou,” and set closer “Sleepless Nights Alone.” For a lost-love song, there’s “High Price”written by Delta Joe Sanders. For fun there is the double meaning of “12 Bar Blues.”Done musically as a 12 bar blues, here is the headachy, hangover story of a night of drink-ing in 12 different bars. Our heroine recounts from fuzzy memory just what happened.She can not remember the 12th bar at all, but there’s proof she “was there” because “theowner just called me up – said he found my monogrammed _?_!” So as not to spoil thesurprise, you’ll have to get the album to find out exactly what he found. For real-dealblues, try the CD’s only cover, Memphis Minnie’s “In My Girlish Days” and “Blues IsMine” which begins, “I’m not privileged; I’m not rich, but I am one hell of a blessedbitch....” Simply, for exceptional quality music, long time fans and newcomers alikeshould allow Reba’s “Bleeding Heart” into your heart. You’ll feel rewarded – guaranteed!

Bleeding Heart BluesWax-2008- Jeff Richards Memphis singer and songwriter Reba Russell’s range isamazing, from full-throttle roadhouse to slow-burning,heartrending Blues. She can shiver your timbers. Bleed-ing Heart comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.The lion part is "Red Mississippi Clay," a piece writtenby two members of Russell's band, husband and bassistWayne Russell and guitarist Josh Roberts , and B. Webb.A solid instrumental intro by her band shows off theirtalents. The band members, other than Roberts and Rus-

sell, include Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms on harp and keyboard and Doug McMinn ondrums. The harp and Reba's gravelly, down-home voice stand out in this piece. The lambpart is "Sleepless Nights Alone," a gentle, breezy tune with a piano and snare drum back-ground and Russell as a torch singer, singing about how " midnight silence got a hold onme ": a la Keely Smith , soft, sweet, and tortured.

Three of the songs are Russell originals, "Miss Me," "Love Is The Cure," and "BluesIs Mine." In "Blues Is Mine," a hard-driving Rock Blues number, Reba lets us know inthe best roadhouse fashion that " I'm not privileged/I'm not rich/But I'm one hell of a

fast bitch ." Later on she says that she may be white, but " the Blues is mine, mine, oh,mine ." Such conviction and feeling in her voice that you got to believe her; the samewith the other two songs and the band that backs her up.

Jimmy Thackery joins her on two songs that he wrote, "Memphis Moon Tonight"and "Levee Prayer." The first is a laid-back romantic song with Reba in her heartrendingmode backed up by Roberts, Russell, and Thackery's flawless guitar picking, and backupvocals by the Masqueraders . It has a Fifties' Country Blues sound to it. Then "Levee" isworthy of an old-time Baptist camp meeting in the piney woods, with lyrics such as " Igot one foot on the levee/One foot in the grave/Trying to do my best for Jesus ." Thetwangy thunder of the guitars balanced by Russell's plaintive, tortured voice sends chillsup your spine. You know something bad is going to happen.

The other songs include "High Price," "Some People," "12 Bar Blues," "To KnowYou," and "In My Girlish Days." All wonderful pieces made even better by the natural,clear voice of Reba Russell. The one that comes to mind is "High Price" that starts out "I set fire to my heart this morning " and goes on from there. The harp and guitar work sowell together along with Reba's clear, trembly, straight-forward delivery that it sendssome more chills up your spine until you're almost frozen with desire.

Bleeding Heart lives up to its title. A raw-boned, sultry piece of work by one ofMemphis' own.

Top 10 CDs1. REBA RUSSELL BAND BLEEDING HEART2. Albert Castiglia These Are the Days3. Wanda Johnson Hold What You Got4. Lil’ Ed & Blues Imperials Full Tilt5. Miss Blues Bad Prospects6. Back Door Slam Roll Away7. Flattop Tom Don’t Cheat the Feet8. Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater West Side Strut9. Eden Brent Mississippi Number One10. Sean Costello We Can Get Together

Top 10 Songs1. Albert Castiglia “Bad Year Blues” 2. REBA RUSSELL BAND “12 BAR BLUES”3. Flattop Tom “Doin’ The Do”4. Carolyn Wonderland “Misunderstood5. Wanda Johnson “GirlFriend”6. Lil’ Ed & Blues Imperials “Hold That Train” 7. Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater “A Good Leavin’ Alone8. Miss Blues “Blood Running Cold”9. Charles “Big Daddy” Stallings “Strange Things”10. Back Door Slam “Gotta Leave"

This week we received the 2008 "Best of" list from Blues Blast contributor James “Skyy Dobro” Walker.

An internationally known blues diva, Reba Russell is aMemphis treasure. Reba’s rockin' band, has developed alarge, loyal fan base in Memphis due to her show-stoppingnightclub gigs on Beale Street in addition she has fansaround the world as a result of her frequent appearances atblues festivals and European Tours.

On the Memphis scene for over 25 years, Russell hasreleased six independent CDs in the past ten years. Reba alsoworks regularly in Memphis studios as a vocalist. She hasbeen recognized by the National Recording Academy foroutstanding performances.

Her music can be ordered online at www.rebarussell.com

Reba Russell

• Recording: Class of 55MemphisRock n RollHomecomingfeaturingJohnny Cash,Roy Orbison,Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins,June Carter Cash, The Judds,Rick Nelson and John Fogarty

Favorite Career Moments

• Opening the Show for B.B. King in Oxford, Mississippi

• Meeting U2 inMemphis andrecording onU2’s recordingRattle andHum in 1988.

• Jammin g withRingo Starr inMemphis

Recording Academy Awards

NARAS PremierFemale Vocalist in

19901998 1999

"Russell takes no prisoners and holds noth-ing back with her straightforward, righteousapproach, tackling straight blues and Memphis-styled R&B with equal fervor."

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• Jamming with Jimmy Thackery at BlackDiamond, B.B. Kings'and The LegendaryBlues Cruise and recording with Jimmy onSinner Street and Switching Gears

• Singing on Tracy Nelson's CDs as well asbacking her at club dates. Also, havingTracy sing a duet with me on the Reba Russell Band CD "City of the Blues", andsinging with Tracyat the King BiscuitBlues Festival,2000 and again inBig Island, VA in2007.

• Jamming with Debra Coleman, JoannaConner, and Deanna Bogart, at the EurekaSprings Blues Festi-val in 1998 anddoing backgroundvocals on A SoftPlace to Fall forDebra Coleman

• Jamming with Sister Sarah Brown andKelly Ritchey at the Eureka Springs BluesFestival in 1999

• Recording withBernard Allison/Across the Water

• Recording withDobie Gray/Soul Days

• Recording withMemphis JonesRevolution

• Recording withWilliam Lee Ellis/The Full Catastrophy

• Recording with The Cate Brothers/Struck A Vein

• Recording withNorth MississippiAllstars

• Jamming with Debbie Davies, Kelly Hunt,and Maria Muldauer at the Eureka SpringsBlues Festival 2000

• Singing with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra at Memphis in May's SunsetSymphony 1999

• Having singing roles in“Finding Graceland” & “Heart of Dixie”

• Appearing for the first time with the band in Helena, Arkansas at theKing Biscuit Blues Festival 1999

• Recording theSoundtrack forthe movie FortyShades of Blue

• Recording withDon McMinn/Boogie Man

• Jamming at the Black Diamond with RufusThomas and playing for his birthday party.

• Recording withWalter Trout

• Meeting Carl Perkins