ABOUT
BARBARA BLUE
The Reigning Queen of Beale Street
Memphis, TN / Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh
PA native Barbara Blue doesn't remember life without music. Her answer to the question “When did you start singing?” will always be “since the day I was born and I plan to exit this life the same way”. “There was always music in our house growing up. I taught myself to play guitar... I would put on concerts in our back yard from 13 years on up…I left home June 1977 for Phoenix, AZ.” That’s when Barbara’s professional musical career began. Playing a solo show (vocals & guitar) Barbara Blue played every club, biker bar, party and corner possible. From 1980-1987 Barbara lived in Detroit, MI and was playing gigs all over the city solo, trio & with a few bands around town, esp the “City Limits Blues Band”. In 1987 Barbara Blue returned to her hometown of Pittsburgh, PA where she put together a band and played 6 nights a week at various clubs for 10+ years -- “We would travel up to 3 hours each way out of the city to do one night stands... I had so many gigs in those years I can’t begin to remember them all”. She opened shows for locals and road acts -- Delbert McClinton, Jeff Healey, Marcia Ball, Billy Price, on and on and on … In 1994 Barbara recorded her debut CD Out Of The Blue at The Control Room in Pittsburgh, PA. Ms. Blue (now has 13 Independent CD releases) also traveled with her band playing gigs in Memphis, Clarksdale & NOLA (Hogs Breath) to compete in the very early conception of the IBC. During this time, Barbara began taking the Ultimate Rhythm and Blues Cruises (approx 13 in total) meeting and jamming with elite blues artists. Meeting Taj Mahal and The Phantom Blues Band was an amazing journey which led to Barbara recording 3 albums (2001, 2004, 2006 ) with the Phantom Blues Band (Mike Finnigan, Johnny Lee Schell, Tony Braunagel, Larry Fulcher, Joe & Darrel - Texicali Horns & John Porter.) From May 1997 until the COVID pandemic struck in March of 2020, Barbara worked a steady gig at Silky O’Sullivan’s 183 Beale Street, Memphis TN where she performed 5 nights a week for nearly 25 years and was crowned “The Reigning Queen of Beale Street”.
"Barbara Blue can make a glass eye cry." (Silky Sullivan) Performing on Beale Street lead to many performance opportunities - including performing with Teenie Hodges, James Cotton, Taj Mahal, Scott Sharrard, Davell Crawford, The Hi Rhythm Section ( Leroy "Flick" Hodges, Howard Grimes, Charles "Skip" Pitts), Lannie McMillan, David Smith, Rev Charles Hodges, David Hood, Clayton Ivey, Bobby Rush, Sam Myers, Little Jimmy King, Anson Funderburgh, Sean Costello, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Wayne Baker & Lonnie Brooks, Preston Shannon, Tas Cru, Henry Butler, Roy Carrier, Carla Thomas, The Cate Brothers, Candye Kane, Leo “Bud” Welch, Ronnie Earl, and Bernard “Pretty” Purdie... And many of Memphis’ elite Musical talents & Musicians.
In 2015 Barbara Blue was honored with a Brass note on The Beale Street Walk of Fame. She received the 2011 Emissary of Memphis Music Award. Both the Hard Rock Cafe Memphis, TN (2014) and Pittsburgh, PA (2010) honored her with a Memorabilia Case.
She received a 2007 BMA Nomination for Best Contemporary Female Blues Artist.
She was nominated for 2019 Independent Blues Music Award "Traditional Female Artist of the Year" and best Traditional CD (2018's Fish In Dirty H2O).
In 2019 Ms Blue was a 2019 BMA Nominee for "Female Soul Blues Artist Of The Year".
Barbara Blue continues to perform and travel around the world to select festivals, gigs and events. From her gritty urban blues to her saucy Memphis soul, Ms. Blue is so much more than just a “singer” -- she is a “True Blue Entertainer”.
"She's bold; she's brassy; she's downright sassy; but one thing is for sure, Barbara Blue can really sing." (Dave "Doc" Piltz /Blues On Stage)
"BB's Somewhere between an earthquake & a hurricane!" - Ronnie Earl
"When Barbara Blue isn’t knocking one over with her powerhouse delivery, she’s just setting that listener up for the next punch...a hefty set of soul and blues. (Duane Verh/Roots Music Report)
Booking contact:
(901) 301-4392