10 Modern Female Blues Singers

Beth Hart

 Women Are Blues Pioneers

Women have always been an integral part of the blues. Some of the pioneers, like Ma Rainey, Memphis Minnie, and Bessie Smith, had an enormous influence on the genre. Many of them were powerful vocalists; some were also skilled instrumentalists.

After the 1930s, the feminine influence diminished. There were still some powerful blues women, like Big Mama Thornton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and the "Queen of the Blues," Koko Taylor, who maintained the presence of ladies singing and playing the blues. Still, they were few and far between.

Currently, there seems to be a resurgence of modern female blues singers and band leaders. Here are ten of my favorite contemporary blues women.

10 Contemporary Women of the Blues

1. Anna Popović
2. Beth Hart
3. Danielle Nicole
4. Janiva Magness
5. Joanne Shaw Taylor
6. Larkin Poe
7. Ruthie Foster
8. Shemekia Copeland
9. Sue Foley
10. Susan Tedeschi

1. Anna Popović

Popović is an exceptional guitarist and singer from Belgrade, Serbia (born May 13, 1976). Although she is beautiful, she's more than just a pretty face. She played guitar from childhood and performed with the band Hush from 1995 to 1998. They recorded a well-received album, Hometown. After Hush split up, Anna formed the Ana Popović Band in the Netherlands.

In 2000, she covered "Belly Button Window" on the Jimi Hendrix tribute album Blue Haze: Songs of Jimi Hendrix. The next year, she released her successful first solo album, Hush! The album was recorded in Memphis, TN. It was just the beginning for this talented young musician. She has earned many awards and much acclaim. In 2012, she relocated to Memphis, Tennessee.

Anna Popović is a prolific artist; these are the albums she has released.

• 2001—Hush!
• 2003—Comfort to the Soul
• 2005—Ana! Live in Amsterdam
• 2007—Still Making History
• 2009—Blind for Love
• 2010—An evening at Trasimeno Lake
• 2011—Unconditional
• 2013—Can You Stand the Heat
• 2015—Blue Room
• 2016—Trilogy
• 2018—Like It on Top
• 2023—Power

2. Beth Hart

Beth Hart is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Besides singing, she plays piano, guitar, bass, cello, and percussion. She was born on January 24, 1972, in Los Angeles, California, where she grew up and still lives.

She got her first taste of fame when she had a top ten hit with her 1999 single "L.A. Song (Out of This Town)." Her music has been very successful in Europe. She has become closely associated with Joe Bonamassa, touring and collaborating with him.

I don't know what it is about her voice; it's not the sweetest, and it doesn't have the most range, but she puts so much of herself into it. When Beth Hart sings, it gives me goosebumps.

Perhaps it's because of the hardships she's had to overcome. She has a complicated relationship with her father and has struggled with addiction and bipolar disorder, but she seems to have her life going in a good direction.

• 1993—Beth Hart and the Ocean of Souls
• 1996—Immortal
• 1999—Screamin' for My Supper
• 2003—Leave the Light On
• 2007—37 Days
• 2010—My California
• 2011—Don't Explain with Joe Bonamassa
• 2012—Bang Bang Boom Boom
• 2013—Seesaw with Joe Bonamassa
• 2015—Better Than Home
• 2016—Fire on the Floor
• 2018—lack Coffee with Joe Bonamassa
• 2019—War in My Mind
• 2022—A Tribute to Led Zeppelin
• 2024—You Still Got Me

3. Danielle Nicole

Founding member, lead singer, and bass player of Kansas City blues-rock band Trampled Under Foot, Danielle Nicole (formerly Danielle Nicole Schnebelen) went solo in 2015 with her debut album “Wolf Den.”

Trampled Under Foot was a collaborative effort with her brothers, Kris and Nick Schnebelen. She started playing the bass to keep it a family band. She fell in love with the instrument and the challenge of it. Her distinctive style helped her become the first woman to win the Blues Music Award for Best Instrumentalist, Bass, from the Blues Foundation in 2014.

Danielle says, “From my years of playing blues festivals, I've seen that younger and younger audiences are getting into the blues. I think that people want to hear authentic music again.”

If authentic is what they want, they've got it. This girl is the real deal.

• 2015—Wolf Den (September 15, 2015)
• 2017—Live at the Gospel Lounge (May 22, 2017) (sold only at concerts)
• 2018—Cry No More (February 23, 2018)

4. Janiva Magness

Janiva Magness has earned the right to sing the blues. The singer/songwriter was born in Detroit, Michigan, on January 30th, 1957. She lost both of her parents to suicide when she was still a child. She was raised in foster care. When she was 16, she became pregnant and put her baby up for adoption.

Magness was drawn to the blues by the music of Otis Rush. The music touched something inside her. It not only helped her heal, but it also provided her with a means of supporting herself.

Known for her smoky, sultry voice, Magness has become a blues star. She has received many awards and released many albums.

When I first heard her, I could not stop listening.

• 1991—More Than Live
• 1997—It Takes One to Know One
• 1999—My Bad Luck Soul
• 2001—Blues Ain't Pretty
• 2003—Use What You Got
• 2004—Bury Him at the Crossroads
• 2006—Do I Move You?
• 2008—What Love Will Do
• 2010—The Devil Is An Angel Too
• 2012—Stronger for It
• 2014—Original
• 2016—Love Wins Again
• 2017—Blue Again
• 2018—Love is an Army
• 2019—Change in the Weather
• 2022—Hard to Kill

5. Joanne Shaw Taylor

Joanne Shaw Taylor is a talented blues rock guitarist and singer. She grew up in Wednesbury, England. Taylor began playing the blues in her early teens, inspired by artists like Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. In an amazing bit of luck, David A. Stewart (Eurythmics) heard Taylor play and, in 2002, invited her to join his band, D.U.P., on tour in Europe.

Her first solo album, White Sugar, debuted in 2009. Since then, her career has taken off like a rocket. She's a star of the blues-rock world in the UK. She has toured extensively around the world, released critically acclaimed albums and won a global following.

Honestly, I enjoy her guitar playing more than her singing, but I love to watch her face when she plays.

Shaw is set to release her sixth studio album, Reckless Heart in 2019.

• 2009—White Sugar
• 2010—Diamonds in the Dirt
• 2012—Almost Always Never
• 2013—Songs from the Road
• 2014—The Dirty Truth
• 2016—Wild
• 2019—Reckless Heart
• 2020—Reckless Blues EP
• 2021—The Blues Album (2021)
• 2022—Blues from the Heart: Live
• 2022—Nobody's Fool

6. Larkin Poe

Wow! As a Blues fan, I don't know how I have missed these incredible young women for so long. I only recently heard them for the first time, and they blew me away.

The band, Larkin Poe, out of Atlanta, GA, is led by sisters Rebecca Lovell (born January 30, 1991) and Megan Lovell (born May 12, 1989). Rebecca is amazing on lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo, and piano. Megan is fantastic on vocals and lap steel. Their voices blend together as if they can read each other's minds.

The sisters started out in a band called The Lovell Sisters, along with their older sister Jessica. When that band called it quits, Rebecca and Megan went on to become Larkin Poe. The band is named after their great-great-great-grandfather, and they are distantly related to the poet, Edgar Allen Poe.

Besides cutting numerous independent albums, they have 7 studio albums under their belt:

• 2014—KIN
• 2016—Reskinned
• 2017—Peach
• 2018—Venom & Faith
• 2020—Self Made Man
• 2020—Kindred Spirits
• 2022—Blood Harmony

7. Ruthie Foster

Ruthie Foster was born in a small town in Texas on February 10, 1964. She first learned to sing in church, and that gospel influence has stayed with her all of her life.

When Ruthie left her home to join the Navy, she put her musical talents to good use performing at recruitment drives nationwide. When she was discharged from the Navy Ruthie moved to New York City to try her hand at a music career, but she found she could not get a record company to let her make the kind of music she loved.

Ruthie moved back to Texas and settled in Austin. Several years later she self-produced her first album. Full Circle was released in 1997, followed by Crossover in 1999. The two albums caught the attention of Texas independent label, Blue Corn Music. Since then, Ruthie has released seven albums with Blue Corn over the past twelve years.

She has also collaborated on stage with artists such as Bonnie Raitt, The Allman Brothers, and Susan Tedeschi. She has recorded with Warren Haynes, Big Head Todd, and The Blind Boys of Alabama, just to name a few. She has won awards and honors too numerous to mention

• 1997—Full Circle
• 1999—Crossover
• 2002—Runaway Soul
• 2004—Stages
• 2007—The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster
• 2009—The Truth According to Ruthie Foster
• 2011—Live at Antone's
• 2012—Let It Burn
• 2014—Promise of a Brand New Day
• 2017—Joy Comes Back
• 2020—Live at the Paramount
• 2022—Healing Time

8. Shemekia Copeland

Born Charon Shemekia Copeland in Harlem on April 10, 1979, Shemekia is an electric blues vocalist. Her father is Texas blues guitarist and singer Johnny Copeland.

Shemekia began singing as a child. She performed at the Cotton Club when she was ten years old. She made a name by herself in her teens by touring with her father as his opening act.

At the 2011 Chicago Blues Festival, Copeland was presented Koko Taylor's crown, and honored as the new “Queen of the Blues,” by Koko Taylor's daughter, Cookie Taylor.

In 2016, Copeland won a Blues Music Award in the Contemporary Blues Female Artist category

In October 2015, her album Outskirts of Love peaked at number 6 in the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart.

• 1998—Turn the Heat Up
• 2000—Wicked
• 2002—Talking to Strangers
• 2005—The Soul Truth
• 2009—Never Going Back
• 2011—Shemekia Copeland (Deluxe Edition)
• 2012—33 1/3
• 2015—Outskirts of Love
• 2018—America's Child
• 2020—Uncivil War
• 2022—Done Come Too Far

9. Sue Foley

Originally from Canada (born March 29, 1968), Sue Foley is multi-award-winning musician. She played her first blues gig at the tender age of 16.

Foley moved to Austin, Texas, and she made her first album, Young Girl Blues, when she was 21. That first album proved her talent as a proficient blues guitarist, inspired songwriter, and captivating vocalist.

Since then she has toured steadily, recorded many albums, and shared the stage with such legends as BB King, Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams, and Tom Petty.

In addition to playing music, Foley is working on a project called Guitar Woman. She has conducted dozens of interviews with the world’s leading female guitarists.

Between 2001 and 2008, she was busy writing articles, organizing and promoting concerts, and working on a book. She is fascinated by gender studies in music and wants to promote great women guitar players.

She also returned to university to get her graduate degree, so you can see why it took a little longer to get this latest album out.

In 2016 Foley returned to Austin to collaborate with old friends and Texas music legends including Jimmie Vaughan and Billy Gibbons. She's released her first new album in six years, with a little help from her friends.

• 1992—Young Girl Blues
• 1993—Without a Warning
• 1995—Big City Blues
• 1996—Walk in the Sun
• 1998—Ten Days in November
• 2000—Love Comin' Down
• 2000—Back to the Blues
• 2002—Where the Action Is ...
• 2004—Change
• 2006—New Used Car
• 2007—Time Bomb
• 2009—Queen Bee: The Antone's Collection
• 2010—He Said She Said
• 2012—Beyond the Crossroads
• 2018—The Ice Queen
• 2021—Pinky's Blues

10. Susan Tedeschi

Susan Tedeschi has a powerful and earthy singing voice. Her guitar playing has been influenced by artists such as Buddy Guy and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Born on November 9th, 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts, Susan Tedeschi sang from an early age. By the time she was 18, she had her own band. She started the renowned Susan Tedeschi Band in 1994.

The Susan Tedeschi Band made its reputation opening for acts including B.B. King, Taj Mahal, Bob Dylan, and The Allman Brothers. They gained national exposure when they opened for The Rolling Stones in 2003.

She has been married to Derek Trucks, slide guitarist from the Allman Brothers Band, since 2001. They have pooled their talents in The Tedeschi Trucks Band. Anybody who thinks a girl can't play blues guitar has not heard her yet, and Tedeschi's voice is a perfect complement to her husband's intense slide guitar.

• 2011—Revelator
• 2012—Everybody's Talkin'
• 2013—Made Up Mind
• 2016—Let Me By
• 2017—Live From the Fox Oakland
• 2019—Signs
• 2021—Layla Revisited (Live at Lockn')
• 2022—I Am the Moon

The Tip of a Bluesy Iceberg

Plenty of other great women are playing the blues in the 21st century. Here, I have focused, first of all, on those I love. Also, these are women who are currently active (touring and making albums). I think it's wonderful that there are so many fabulous women playing the blues that I have the luxury of picking and choosing who goes on my list.

The Old Man Sold Some Gas Tanks on eBay!

We were starting to get kinda worried about where next month’s house payment was coming from, but it’s all good now. Yesterday the old man dug through his parts pile and I helped him list a few things on eBay this morning.

When I logged in this evening to see how things were going, I saw that he had sold a set of Harley Knucklehead, 1940-era gas tanks for $2000!

The opening bid was $1500, and the Buy it Now was $2000. I thought maybe that price was too low, because the auction only lasted about three hours, but a few months ago the same tanks sat there a week and didn't sell. In any case, the payment is already on its way, so I'm doing my happy dance.

23rd Annual Nevada County Food and Toy Run

After the severe wind and rain we had in northern California last week, we had a very welcome break in the weather for the weekend. Saturday, December 14, 2014, we participated in the 23^rd Annual Nevada County Food and Toy Run.

We have been attending this toy run since the first year, when there were only 90 riders. It becomes more popular every year, drawing two to three thousand motorcyclists, providing gifts for hundreds of local children and food for their families.

The best thing about this toy run is how the community embraces it, the police department does a great job of controlling traffic for the event, and everybody is all smiles along the way. The children are there at the end, thanking us for our efforts.   

Biker Games at the Old Hope Valley Run

On the way to Hope Valley - Mid-80s

Years ago, we used to take the Knucklehead up to the Hope Valley Run, in Tahoe. It was held at a very rustic campground; there were few rules, so I guess it suited us pretty well.

It got cold up there in the mountains at night in September, you needed your warm sleeping bag for this one.

At bike runs, they always had games, the Slow Race for instance. In the Slow Race you have to take as long as possible before crossing the finish line without falling or putting your feet down.

Then there was one, I don't remember the name of it, where you had to pile as many people as possible on a bike, and ride it across the finish line. Whoever went the distance with the most people won.

It was at the Hope Valley Run that I saw the craziest biker game ever. The game was The Chariot Race. It's the only time I have ever seen this done. One person rode the motorcycle dragging a tire behind it. His partner ran and took a flying leap to grab onto the tire and be dragged.

The one who was dragged the furthest without falling off was the winner. The dust was thick in the air, and on the faces and bodies of the people being dragged. Of course, they were all wearing their leathers, goggles, and whatever they could tie around their faces to keep the dirt out of their mouth and nose.

The guy who won got a 4-foot-tall trophy. He said that was the biggest trophy he ever got and the stupidest thing he ever did.

Slow Race - Hope Valley Run

Chariot Race - Hope Valley Run 

The Knuckleheads Find the Lost Coast

The Redwood Run's Over,
You Don't Have to Go Home,
But You Can't Stay Here

Funny thing about a motorcycle rally like the Redwood Run, on Friday night the bikes come rumbling in, the tents spring up all around and soon it's like a biker city in the redwoods.

Saturday they ride and play biker games, drink, and party and stay up all night. But, come Sunday morning they're up with the sun, packed and ready to hit the road. They've got miles to ride and need to get some road behind them before breakfast. As for the laggers, the campground shuts off the water at 11:00 a.m. as a subtle hint that it's time to go.

That first year that we went to the Redwood Run, in 1985, when the run was over we weren't ready to go home. So when everybody else headed home, we got on the Knucklehead and headed for the coast.

Shelter Cove

I used to live near there in a town called Whitethorn, a long time ago, and I knew about a place called Shelter Cove. 

When I used to know it, it was sort of a town that never was. There was an airstrip there and roads with street signs. It was all flagged into lots, but there were no houses. People used to go out there to hunt deer; it was spooky in a way. 

People said there was a plane crash and all the developers were killed. I don't know if that's what happened, but for some reason development was started and then stalled for over a decade.

The area is known as the Lost Coast because the main highways have bypassed it and the road that leads to it dead-ends there. Therefore, you have to leave the same way you came.

We headed up 101 to Garberville and took Briceland Road. Crossed the Eel River and went through a grove of giant redwoods and through Briceland. We continued out the narrow, winding road. It's only 23 miles, but it seems a lot longer. The final descent is quite steep.

Once we got to the bottom of the grade, I could see that some development had taken place in the 12 or so years since I had been there. There were a few houses and in a large grassy area we saw two elk. We stopped and took a few pictures; they appeared to be fairly tame. Then we continued on up to a grassy knoll overlooking the ocean.

Welcome

There was a group of locals there. They were cooking burgers and had a keg of beer. They welcomed us in as if they had just been waiting for us to arrive, gave us food and drink and everyone wanted their picture taken with us.

I guess it had been a long winter and they were glad to see some new people. We pitched our tents there on the grass.

Going to Shelter Cove after the Redwood Run became our yearly pattern. The second year we went and camped on the black sands beach on the other end of town. It was an extremely windy day. When our friends tried to set up their dome tent, it got away from them and tumbled away down the beach.

Who Says Vintage Harleys are not Dirt Bikes?

The next morning, my husband and our friend George both decided to ride their knuckleheads down the beach. The bikes were sinking in the sand, but with a couple of people pushing, they got going and were able to ride all the way down the beach out of sight.

Bryan and George were gone for a long time, finally it was almost dark and they came back all wet and laboriously pushing their bikes through the sand. They said once they got to the bluffs at the other end of the beach they had to stop, and then they couldn't get the bikes going again. The tide came in and slapped them off their bikes. It almost carried them and their bikes out to sea.

We came back to that same beach the next year, after a heavy winter, and it was gone, completely washed away. The road we had ridden in on just ended into the ocean. At least I have a few photos to show it existed.

Shelter Cove developed quite a bit over the next decade. In later years, more and more other bikes started showing up there during and after the Redwood Run, so we became just part of the crowd. There were a couple of restaurants, a bar and a marina, and quite a few more people lived there. I have not been there in over 10 years. I think the Lost Coast has been discovered now. It's no longer our little secret.

Perfect Day for a Sunday Ride

I just found these photo from a ride we took last winter. It was a warm Sunday, maybe 70 degrees. Amazing for the end of February.

It was perfect day for a motorcycle ride. It was an extremely dry winter, but we had finally had a little rain, so the grass was getting green. The daffodils and crab-apples were in bloom.

We met up with some other motorcycle enthusiasts for breakfast, then headed down to the Valencia Club in Newcastle, CA for the Sunday Blues Jam.

The Blues Jam takes place every Sunday from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Anybody who wants to play music can just sign up and play. The music was wonderful.

A really cute older couple got up and danced, the man was in a wheelchair and his wife walked with a cane. 

She had the tips of her white hair dyed electric blue. They were all smiles and seemed to be having a great time.








We went outside to socialize between sets.
Here's a nice shot of our friend's 41 Knuck.

My husband and I were on our 1965 Panhead. One reason we chose it was that it was the first year Harley to have an electric starter.

That was a big change for us, since we had always ridden a 1947 Knucklehead with a only a kick starter.

Well, wouldn't you know it, when we got ready to go home the bike wouldn't start when he pushed the button!

Everybody was sitting there with their bikes running, waiting for us, I had to get off the bike so he could kick-start it. Fortunately, it did start and we rode home with no further problems.

Since the sun goes down so early in winter, and it gets cold, we didn't stay too late. I love that you can see our shadow in this shot.

All photos by the author

How We Got the Knucklehead Chopper

The Panhead Came First, But it Didn't Last Long

Back in the early 80's my husband got his very first Harley Davidson motorcycle. It was a 1949 Panhead, but it only ran for a few weeks before it blew up, so I really consider the Knucklehead to be the beginning of the story.

It was through riding the Panhead that he met Donta, who was an old Knucklehead rider. Donta became his good friend and helped him learn the ropes when it comes to working on and riding vintage Harleys.

It was 1981, and they were in the process of rebuilding the Panhead after it blew up, when he went down to the motorcycle swap meet in Costa Mesa looking for parts. He ended up coming home with a 1947 Knucklehead motor (all in pieces of course) for the bargain price of $546.

The Panhead motor was soon set aside and over a period of months, the frame that was going to hold the Panhead was prepared for the knuckle motor. The first time he built the Knucklehead, it was a chopper in a pan wishbone frame, it had a glide front end, a suicide clutch, jockey shift, and mechanical brakes.

Wrenching on the Sidewalk

When the Knucklehead was first built we were living on 80 acres down in the San Bernardino Mountains, but in 1984 we moved to a small town in Northern California.

We rented a little house right in town. At our first house, there was no shop, not even a yard in front, just a sidewalk. In those days it was not uncommon for us to have Harley parts on the kitchen table for extended periods of time. Then my sweetie would work on the bike out on the sidewalk in front of the house.

There Was No Helmet Law in California Then

When we first moved up north, we took a lot of day rides exploring the surrounding area. It was a good way to get the lay of the land and cheap entertainment for us.

In those days we made do with what we had. Since there was no money for hotels, and we had no sleeping bags, if we would be spending the night on the road we would just grab my homemade quilt off the bed and bungee it onto the front of the bike.

Roadside Repairs

We were on our way to the Redwood Run up in Humboldt County in these photos. I think it was maybe 1984. The Redwood Run was an annual tradition with us for about 15 years.

When you're traveling on these old motorcycles it's almost inevitable that someone will have an issue with their bike.

Some people like to travel with a "chase truck" to carry their gear, and you can load a bike into it if it breaks down. But we never did, we carried whatever we needed on the bike.

This time it was just a flat tire, so the problem was easily solved.

Those were some good times. Now I like to take things a little easier, but it was all part of the adventure back then.

King Bill's Panhead at the Dixon Swap Meet

The 51 Flathead is on ebay

I'm so sad. We put the 51 flathead on ebay today. I just love seeing this beautiful, rusty old piece of history out there.

The Liberator

This is a 1951 WL 45 cu in flathead that has a 1942 WWII motor. The WL was nick named liberator for its wide use in the Pacific and Europe during WWII. The solo model flathead 45 cu was discontinued in 1952, making all post war solo models rare. The 45 cu in flathead 3 wheeler was made clear up into the 70's for police and other municipal functions due to its dependable motor and economical cost of use.

The Flathead is sold, it just left yesterday 12/16/2012 :(

Redwood Run 2012 - First Road Trip on the '65 Panhead

We just got back from the Redwood Run. First time we've been in 13 years. Still as always the ride was the best part. The weather was perfect and everything, even Yuba City and Williams, are still beautiful and green. I'd almost forgotten how special the Redwoods are, we rode up the Avenue of the Giants, it's like those thousand year old trees make their own climate, so cool and green under there.

We didn't care for any of the music, Fryed Brothers, same old same old. Billy Idol was supposed to be there but didn't show. The one exception was Lucas Nelson, Willie's son, he was excellent, and we'd never heard of him before, so it's always nice to make a new discovery.

There was no steak dinner on Saturday either, and security was a little uptight it seemed to me, especially since the turnout was really low. It wasn't crowded at all, that was really nice. A great camp spot was easy to find, and lines were not long for anything.

I finally feel like I've bonded with the Panhead after this trip. It feels so different after riding the '47 Knucklehead all these years. It has nowhere near the speed, and sure doesn't corner like the Knuck, but it sure is pretty, and the electric start is nice. With the shocks I didn't feel nearly as beat up after riding for 4 days as I used to, and it goes plenty fast enough for me.

We've got New Rust - An '80 Shovelhead, and a '50 Flathead

We've got new rust in the yard. These were burned in a fire. But I still think they're beautiful. In fact they'd make great yard art. But someday they'll be riding down the road again.

The Flathead

This is a 1950 WL 45 cu in flathead that has a 1942 WWII motor. The WL was nick named liberator for its wide use in the Pacific and Europe during WWII. The solo model flathead 45 cu was discontinued in 1952, making all post war solo models rare. The 45 cu in flathead 3 wheeler was made clear up into the 70's for police and other municipal functions due to its dependable motor and economical cost of use.

The Shovelhead

This 1980 Shovelhead is a little too new for the old man's taste. It only had a short stay with us, in fact as I write this, it is already gone. I'm sure it will get the TLC it obviously needs.