I'd never heard of Lavelle White when I picked up "Miss Lavelle" back in '94. By the end of the second track — "Voodoo Man," one of the funkiest blues tunes I'd heard in a long time — I'd have put her in the blues hall of fame if I'd had a vote.Not many blueswomen have ever performed saucier versions of "Why Young Men Go Wild" or prettier renditions of "You're Gonna Make Me Cry."
"Miss Lavelle" is a flat-out great album that's sadly out of print. Find a copy if you can.
Also join me in wishing Ms. White a happy 80th birthday. She's performing a birthday concert at Saxon Pub in Austin tonight. I certainly wish I could be there to help her celebrate.
(Blues Blog Special is a regular feature that examines older blues albums worth checking out.)
