$10 cover 8pm
KAREN LOVELY offers up a blistering mix of contemporary Blues, Blues Rock, and American roots music. Known for her passionate, driven style, this powerhouse vocalist consistently delivers standout performances – both live and in the studio, garnering awards and critical acclaim throughout the US, Canada, Europe, and South America.
A multi-award winning artist, Lovely has taken home 7 Muddy Awards for “Performance of the Year”, “Best Contemporary Blues Band”, “Best Female Artist” and “Best National Recording.” In 2018, she recevied her 4th prestigious Blues Music Award nomination for “Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist” and her 4th Blues Blast Music Award nomination for “Female Blues Artist of the Year.”
Her albums (including her newest release FISH OUTTA WATER) have topped national and international blues and roots charts, and made the “Best of the Year” blues album lists for noted publications such as Downbeat Magazine, Roots Music Report, Living Blues and Blues Blast. She is a two time “#1 Pick to Click” artist on XM Radio Bluesville.
Lovely’s newest release, debuted at #13 on the Billboard Top 100 Blues Album chart, reached #1 on the Roots Music Report Contemporary Blues Hot Singles chart, #4 on the RMR Top 50 Contemporary Blues Album chart, #4 on the RMR Top 50 Blues Album chart and #4 on the Living Blues Top 50 chart and remained in the Top 50 Best Blues Albums RMR chart for 6 months.
The album made numerous Best Blues Albums of 2017 national and international lists including Living Blues, Blues Blast, Blues Music Magazine, Making a Scene, Crossroads, and Blues Van. NorthWest Music Scene hails her as one of the best artists in the Northwest.
A committed social activist, Lovely’s songs address domestic violence, sexual abuse, homelessness, mental health, addiction, and suicide. She donated proceeds from pre-sales of Fish Outta Water to RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization, and includes links to domestic violence and sexual assault hotlines in each of her studio album liner notes.
Lovely shot onto the blues scene out of the Pacific Northwest like Stack O’ Lee’s .44 placing 2nd at the 2010 International Blues Challenge, immediately followed by three 2011 Blues Music Award Nominations for her sophomore release STILL THE RAIN.
Her follow up album, TEN MILES OF BAD ROAD, produced by Grammy winner Tony Braunagel, established Lovely as a singer/songwriter with a style uniquely her own, receiving nominations for the prestigious 2016 Blues Music Award for “Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist” and 2016 BluesBlast Award for “Best Female Artist”. The album also won a 2015 Blues411 “Jimi” Award for “Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist” and was selected by Downbeat as one of the “Best Albums of 2016.”
2018 Blues Music Award Nominee “Contemporary Female Blues Artist”
2018 Blues Blast Music Award Nominee “Female Blues Artist of the Year”
2017 Muddy Award Winner “Best National Recording – Fish Outta Water”
2016 Muddy Award Winner “Performance of the Year”
2016 BMA Nominee “Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist”
2016 Blues Blast Nominee “Best Female Vocalist”
2015 Blues411 Winner “Best Contemporary Female Artist”
2014 Muddy Award Winner “Best Female Vocalist”
2011 BMA Nominee “Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist”
2011 BMA Nominee “Best Contemporary Blues Album”
2011 Blues Blast Nominee “Best Female Artist”
2010 WINNER, 2nd Place Band, International Blues Challenge
DEB RYDER – BIO
2015 BLUES BLAST MUSIC AWARD NOMINEE – SEAN COSTELLO RISING STAR AWARD!
2017 BLUES BLAST MUSIC AWARD NOMINEE – FEMALE BLUES ARTIST
LET IT RAIN – 2016 GRAMMY BALLOT FOR BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM
GRIT GREASE & TEARS -2017 GRAMMY BALLOT FOR BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM
Born outside Chicago, Deb began appearing on stage as a young teen at her step father’s famous nightclub The Topanga Corral, where she opened for such blues legends as Etta James, Big Joe Turner and Taj Mahal to name a few. Deb’s vocals have been described as big, devastatingly powerful, whiskey soaked, a force of nature, reminiscent of her major influences Etta James and Koko Taylor. Deb’s stage presence is captivating while her amazing vocals take the audience to new levels of enjoyment. Her standout performances have garnered awards and critical acclaim at festivals and venues throughout the US, Canada and Europe. She writes all her own material and the lyrics paint a gritty, personal picture of life, love and trouble with just a well crafted touch of whimsy.
“Glorious vocals by Deb Ryder – Let It Rain is a treat from start to finish, and well worthy of your attention!” GRAHAME RHODES – BLUES IN THE NORTHWEST
Her highly anticipated debut album “Might Just Get Lucky” was a hit, garnering rave reviews and acclaim. Written, arranged performed and produced by Ryder, she came out swinging and showed she has what it takes and a real future in blues music. The CD was selected by the Southern California Blues Society to represent as their entry for the IBC Best Self Produced Debut Album Category in 2013.
Her second release “Let It Rain” was recorded at Ultratone Studios with the legendary and award winning engineer / mixer Johnny Lee Schell at the helm. Produced by Grammy Award winning producer Tony Braunagel, this album features the absolute A-List of renowned players in the genre who bring a fresh energy and powerful sound. All eleven songs are originals by Ryder, and are a celebration of the blues from classic to modern, Chicago to New Orleans. This release premiered out of the gate at # 19 on the esteemed Living Blues Chart-April 2015, and #2 on the Roots Music Report and Blues Debut Top 50 Blues albums . The release stayed in the top 50 for several months! Ranked #1 on Blues 411 and #2 on Les Collectif Des Radios Blues, and chosen as the number one pick in the UK! Then the release made the 2016 Grammy Ballot in the Best Blues Album category! The reviews have been stellar and the acclaim keeps coming!
Grit Grease & Tears is the third studio album from blues great and multi award nominee Deb Ryder, featuring twelve new original songs that stand together as a testament to her spirit and commitment to the genre. The record covers a broad spectrum of styles and is a journey full of energy, serving up a savory blend of R&B, soul, funk and roots based blues as only Deb can deliver. Her critically acclaimed powerhouse vocals are supported by the mastery of Grammy Award winning producer Tony Braunagel, and an A-list group of musicians. Grit Grease & Tears offers Deb Ryder’s signature arrangements and impeccable songwriting. You can expect her to continue to imprint her mark on the blues world now and in the future.
ENJOY THE RIDE, the fourth studio album by multi-award nominee and powerhouse singer-songwriter DEB RYDER, is undoubtedly her most outstanding record yet. Produced by Grammy Award winner Tony Braunagel and Executive producer Ric Ryder, it shines like a beacon as the next level in the progression of an artist that has what it takes to deliver on all fronts. The thirteen original tracks by Ryder take you on a sonic journey that weaves seamlessly through multiple blues styles,
back-porch, hill country, gospel stomp, R&B, and beautifully evocative ballads, with Ryder’s sublime vocals at the helm. Served up in her distinctive stye, this record embraces current social issues, while maintaining all blues traditions. ENJOY THE RIDE serves up driving grooves with an all-star rhythm section, smoldering guitar, genius B3 and haunting harmonica. Ryder is supported by an impressive array of some of the finest luminaries in the genre, including Tony Braunagel, Chris Cain, Debbie Davies, Mike Finnigan, Kirk Fletcher, Big Llou Johnson, Coco Montoya, Johnny Lee Schell and Pieter (Big Pete) van/der Pluijm.
“Anyone who is able to write, sing and arrange at such a quality and consistent level is definitely the real article. She surrounds her powerful voice with first call instrumentalists. Her vocal ability puts her among those great female blues singers that preceded her. She has ascended to the higher ranks of the blues elite.”
— GREG “BLUESDOG” SZALONY, – BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE
“Very well crafted collection of original songs. By the sound of her blues, Ryder has only smooth sailing ahead of her.”– MELANIE YOUNG – LIVING BLUES MAGAZINE
