I was talking with a local promoter about who he might bring to Oxford for the blues festival. One name I brought up--slightly under-the-radar musicians who can blow your socks off--is Francine Reed. I saw her once at a blues fest in Atlanta back in 1998 and never forgot it. She toured with Lyle Lovett quite a bit, but she is a heck of a singer on her own.
I have been working with Francine for over twenty years now! She just happened to move to Atlanta about a block from Blind Willies and walked in to the club one night. Some of the waitresses recognized her from Lyle Lovett's band and asked her if she would sing something with the clubs house band The Shadows (who I am the Harp and Sax player in). We hit it off very well and we were in the process of doing our second record for Ichiban Records and recommended Francine to our producer. She didn't have much Blues material but Ichiban arranged a six week tour of Switzerland for us to come up with an albums worth of material. When we got back we recorded most of the tracks on her first Album "I want You To Love Me" This has me playing the Harp on the title track!
Albey: With harp like that, this thread is no longer OT! I envy you. What a voice and presence she has. Small world, that you would have that connection and also be a member here. Just a great voice.
Yea Adam, it has been fun working with her over the years and it is one of the best shows we do at the club! It is a nice mix of Blues, R&B, some Dance Tunes from the 60's, and a touch of Jazz. She recorded a few duets with Willie Nelson one of them being "Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away" we do live that I get to work out on some country style acoustic playing. She usually does New Years Eve with us but she will be gone this year. Here is one more tune from her first record.
I own a few of her records, one was produced by Al Kooper. She is one of the best blues singers out there. Great stuff Albey, the Shadows are very lucky to be with such great talent.
That's some of the best singing I've heard in a while. Great stage presence too. Very engaging. Thanks for the heads up kudzurunner! Great work Albey. BronzeWailer's YouTube
