Monday, March 12, 2007

Blues Break: Bettye LaVette - "Joy"

The great soul singer Bettye LaVette covers Lucida Williams' "Joy" at a concert in The Netherlands. For a much better audio version, plus an interview and more of her music, visit NPR's American Routes for March 11, 2007. (To go directly to "Joy," start the audio at 10:00 minutes.)

2 comments:

Oliver Penn said...

Bettye LaVette changed the song completely. She changed all the rural locations mentioned by Ms. Williams in the original and substituted places that had an impact on her own career.

She is truly one of the great singers of all time. And, what a performer! Do not miss Bettye if she comes to your town. She's also one of the nicest stars in show business.

M.J. O'Brien said...

Thanks, Oliver. I'm not familiar with the original lyrics, but now I'll go check it out. I just discovered Bettye LaVette's wonderful voice, thanks to American Routes, and I've really enjoyed the interviews I've found online. I checked her tour schedule, and she won't be coming to the Portland area until a year from now (March 15th). I'll put it on my 2008 calendar as soon as I have one.