The music scene in Austin, Texas has been vibrant for decades, producing a unique brand of wild and raunchy, down to earth boogie-down blues that is like nowhere else. These three women, Marcia Ball, Lou Ann Barton, and Angela Strehli have been performing their gutsy, heartfelt, barrelhouse style blues music since the 1970s and continue the tradition to this day. Although not extremely well known except by true blues enthusiasts, they are definitely worth a listen if you enjoy the sound of strong, sexy, powerful women belting out their no holds barred, soulful rockin’ blues.
Lou Ann Barton – Stevie Ray Vaughan Bootleg (edit) 1979
In the early 1970s, Lou Ann Barton was a member of the Triple Threat Revue, with W. C. Clark and Stevie Ray Vaughan. She was a founding member of Vaughan's band Double Trouble, and did a stint with the jump blues band Roomful of Blues. During that time, in 1975, she joined up with W. C. Clark to form his W. C. Clark Blues Revue.
These cuts featuring Lou Ann singing were edited from the bootleg "The Legendary Lost First Stevie Ray Vaughn Album." When Lou Ann left the band Stevie Ray became the featured vocalist and the rest is history. These early cuts display a raw and authentic roadhouse blues sound making it easy to imagine a dim lit, smoke filled barroom full of whiskey induced party hardy Texans out for a good rockin’ time.
Tracklist included:
1. Oh, Yeah
2. Ti-Ni-Nee-Ni-Nu
3. I Wonder Why
4. Natural Born Lover
5. Scratch My Back
6. I'll Change
7. Shake A Hand, Shake A Hand
8. Oh Baby
9. Sugar Coated Love
10. My Baby's Gone ("Oh Yeah")
Lou Ann Barton – Old Enough (1982)
Lou Ann recorded the album Old Enough for Asylum Records in 1982, a well-received recording that was co-produced by Jerry Wexler and Glenn Frey. Despite positive reviews, Old Enough did not sell well, and her tenure with Asylum Records was a short one.
Tracklist:
01. I'm Old Enough
02. Brand New Lover
03. It's Raining
04. It Ain't Right
05. Finger Poppin' Time
06. Stop These Teardrops
07. The Sudden Stop
08. The Doodle Song
09. Maybe
10. Every Night of the Week
Marcia Ball – Soulful Dress (1984)
Marcia Ball is a Texas-born, Louisiana-raised pianist/vocalist/songwriter known for igniting a full-scale roadhouse rhythm and blues party every time she strolls on stage.
Marcia Ball's recording debut Soulful Dress is an r&b excursion in the tradition of Irma Thomas and Professor Longhair, matching her originals with classics like "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "Jailbird." Fellow Texan Stevie Ray Vaughan puts in a guest appearance on the title cut.
Tracklist:
1. Soulful Dress - McAlister, Vali (3:16)
2. Make Your Move Too Soon (3:19)
3. I'd Rather Go Blind - Foster, Jordan (5:08)
4. Jailbird - Bartholomew (2:58)
5. Eugene - Ball (3:44)
6. My Mind's Made Up - Ball (2:29)
7. A Thousand Times - Ball (3:25)
8. That's Why I Love You - Moore (3:33)
9. Soul on Fire - Baker, Ertegun, Wexler (4:46)
10 Don't Want No Man (3:00)
Marcia Ball – Hot Tamale Baby
Marcia Ball dedicated this album to the late King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier, and was backed by a fine band of veteran pros that included saxophonist Alvin Tyler. Ball ripped through Booker T. Jones's soul gem "Never Like This Before" and Chenier's title composition, while also demonstrating her own facility with R&B on "That's Enough Of That Stuff" and "Love's Spell."
The Marcia Ball Band: Marcia Ball (vocals, piano); David Murray (guitar); Don Bennett (bass); Doyle Bramhall (drums, background vocals).
E.L.S.: Elaine, Lisa and Sharon Foster (background vocals).
Additional personnel: Alvin "Red" Tyler (tenor saxophone); Bill "Foots" Samuel (saxophone); Terry Tullos (trumpet); Ernie Gautreau (valve trombone); Craig Wroten (piano, organ).
Tracklist:
01. Never Like This Before
02. I'm Gonna Forget About You
03. Love's Spell
04. I Don't Know
05. Hot Tamale Baby
06. That's Enough of That Stuff
07. Don't You Know I Love You
08. Another Man's Woman
09. If I Ever Needed Love
10. Uh-Uh Baby
Marcia Ball – Gatorhythm (1989)
Marcia Ball explored R&B and honky tonk country on this album, keeping her blues chops in order while expanding her repertoire. She included a pair of tunes by country vocalist Lee Roy Parnell, "What's a Girl to Do" and "Red Hot," doing both in a feisty, attacking fashion. She was also challenging and upbeat on Dr. John's "How You Carry On" and "Find Another Fool." Her third album, Gatorhythms was one of her most entertaining and dynamic, as Ball became less of an interpreter and more of an individualist.
Tracklist:
1. How Can You Carry On
2. La Ti Da See All 2
3. Power of Love
4. Mobile
5. Find Another Fool
6. Mama's Cooking
7. What's A Girl To Do
8. Daddy Salad
9. You'll Come Around
10. Red Hot
Angela Strehli – Deja Blue (1998)
Angela Strehli is best known for her 1991 collaboration with fellow Austin blues divas Marcia Ball and Lou Ann Barton on the trio album "Dreams Come True," and Strehli reconvenes the trio for one song on her album, "Deja Blue." As before, she holds her own vocally with her better-known partners, but it's Strehli's songwriting that really impresses. The tension between the chattering guitar riff and the gospelish vocal melody reinforces the singer's dilemma as she asks her friends if she's "Still a Fool" for loving that man. And it's the six originals, mixed in with five obscure blues covers, that make this Strehli's most impressive album.
1. Cut You Loose 3:50
2. A Stand By Your Woman Man 3:33
3. Deja Blue 4:23
4. A Man I Can Love 3:35
5. Boogie Like You Wanna 3:05
6. Give Me Love 3:13
7. Still A Fool 4:24
8. Close Together 3:17
9. Hey, Miss Tonya 3:15
10. Too Late 4:51
11. Where The Sun Never Goes Down 2:34
MUCH Peace n luv to my friends at 1337x and blazinseedboxes
Media Info:
Lou Ann – SRV Media Info:
Bitrate: 320 kbps
Channels: stereo
Samplerate: 44100
Encoder: LAME 3.91
MPEG-1 layer 3
Old Enough Media Info:
Bitrate: 320 kbps
Channels: stereo
Samplerate: 44100
MPEG-1 layer 3
Soulful Dress Media Info:
Bitrate: 256 kbps
Channels: stereo
Samplerate: 44100
Encoder: LAME 3.93
MPEG-1 layer 3
Hot Tamale Baby Media Info:
Bitrate: 256 kbps
Channels: joint stereo
Samplerate: 44100
Encoder: LAME 3.92
MPEG-1 layer 3
Gatorhythm Media Info:
Bitrate: 320 kbps
Channels: joint stereo
Samplerate: 44100
Encoder: FhG
MPEG-1 layer 3
Deja Blue Media Info:
Bitrate: 320 kbps
Channels: joint stereo
Samplerate: 44100
Encoder: LAME 3.98
MPEG-1 layer 3
**many thanks for the SRV to sketch and to bandit and the other original posts found along the way to put this together