Blues Diva Sharon Lewis to Open the First Blues Fest in Georgia
Howard Reich, Musical Critic of the Chicago Tribune, assessed Sharon Lewis’ strong, touching voice as “the eighth wonder of the music world.”
Lewis is one of those 10 renowned soloists who took part in the unique concert Blues Mamas for Obama, in 2012. Her voice is compared to such renowned vocalists as Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Koko Taylor. Like other blues divas, she started singing before she could talk. She played on her red little tambourine and sang gospel together with her sisters in the church. After leaving Texas for Chicago, having merged gospel with delta-blues (one of the old regional variations of country blues), influenced by Texas and Chicago blues schools, her performing manner became amazingly distinguished.
Lewis is to open the first blues festival in Georgia to take place on June 17.
Sharon has been a headliner of the Chicago Blues Festival for years and is a resident performer at Buddy Guy's Legends and Rosa's Lounge – major blues clubs of Chicago. In 2009, ‘Sharon Lewis &Texas Fire’ entered the list of the top 15 blues bands of America. By means of the prestigious magazine “Blues Revue”, the album released in 2011 titled “The Real Deal,” acquired international acclaim. During her music career, Sharon has stepped forward with such blues and soul legends as Koko Taylor, Son Seals, Denise LaSalle, Robben Ford, Coco Montoya, Billy Branch, Melvin Taylor, Sugar Blue, Mumford & Sons and many others. She has visited half the globe with concert tours and in June, will come to Georgia. In Lagodekhi, in the open air of “BLUESVILLAGE” space, her incomparable voice will sound for the first time for the Georgian audience.
Joining her will be the following:
Shanna Waterstown
A popular singer who has toured the globe, Shanna’s concerts are sell-outs in the US, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and in many other countries. Since her childhood, she has been keen on soul, gospel and country music and has emerged on stage with such stars as James Brown, Buddy Guy, Maceo Parker, Matt Bianco, Louisiana Red and Mud Morganfield. Her first album released in 2008, titled “Inside My Blues”, is ample with traditional melodies of Gospel and Blues, and brought international appraisal to the singer. She lives in Paris where she is considered an indelible jazz performer.
Elegant Shanna Waterstown, with a distinguished sensitive voice, will meet the Georgian listeners on Friday, July 7, instead of the scheduled Saturday, due to her busy agenda.
Steve Morrison
With his strange manner of guitar-playing, Steve has conquered all the European festivals and performing arenas and last year, he conquered the TV space as a finalist of “Guitar Star”.
What exactly are those traits that make his signature so distinguished? Steve Morrison creates a unique playing style by means of lingering chords on bass until the singing melody starts to run non-stop. All six compact discs of Steve Morrison are sold with record indices. There are a lot of original songs in his repertoire that he performs accompanied with witty comments, peerless guitar chords and a sensitive voice.
Steve Morrison is referred to in the music world as a “one man band”. He has been able to merge the energetic rhythms of John Lee Hooker with the mellifluousness of Ry Cooder. Thus, he received a unique, vigorous blues voice. Warm melodies, performed with a British accent, naturally create a dancing mood. The public at “BLUESVILLAGE” on July 29, will have a chance to enjoy his talent.
Maka Lomadze