Bettye LaVette still collecting much praise and playing SXSW!
BETTYE LaVETTE has earned a high spot on the annual Village Voice “Pazz & Jop” poll, coming in at #20. In editor Robert Christgau’s essay on the poll, he states: “Bettye LaVette outdoes herself.”
Elsewhere, in a review of a Joni Mitchell tribute show at Carnegie Hall, Jon Pareles closed his review with this: “Bettye LaVette turned ‘Last Chance Lost,’ a terse and bitter breakup song, into an intense, wrenching soul lament that seemed to encompass a lifetime of disappointments. She made the song her own—no easy feat.”
Bettye’s music could even be heard on the pre-game telecast of the Superbowl, when Pittsburgh Steelers running back and fellow Detroit native Jerome Bettis was being interviewed. Her version of Lucinda Williams “Joy,” could be plainly heard with Bettye singing, “I started in Detroit looking for my joy…” – words which proved prophetic for Bettis and the Steelers.
LaVette continues to garner praise and gather new fans with each show she performs. She will be performing at SXSW at La Zona Rosa on March 17, has been added to the Jammies April 20 in New York City at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden, as well as the Bonaroo Festival June 16 in Manchester, TN.
Upcoming US and European tour dates are listed below:
DATE VENUE CITY/STATE or CITY/COUNTRY 2/24/2006 Kalamazoo State Theatre Kalamazoo, MI 3/16/2006 B.B. King Blues Club & Grill New York, NY 3/17/2006 SXSW Music Festiva/La Zona Rosa Austin, TX 3/19/2006 Zeiterion Theater New Bedford, MA 3/24/2006 Massey Hall Toronto, ON, CANADA 3/25/2006 Centre in The Square Kitchener, ON, CANADA 4/20.2006 Madison Square Garden New York, NY 4/22/2006 Arden Concert Guild Arden, DE 4/23/2006 New Legacy Series Ringwood, NJ 4/29/2006 Triptych Festival Edinburgh, Scotland 4/30/2006 Triptych Festival Glasgow,Scotland 5/3/2006 Berns Stockholm,Sweden 5/4/2006 Kulturbolaget Malmoe,Sweden 5/5/2006 Jazzhouse Dexter Odense,Denmark 5/6/2006 Bergen Music Fest Bergen,Norway 5/7/2006 Amager Bio Copenhagen,Denmark 5/9/2006 Kaufleuten Zurich,Switzerland 5/10/2006 Ancienne Belgique Brussels, Belgium 5/12/2006 LaCigale Paris,France 5/13/2006 Waerdse Tempel Heerhugoward,Holland 5/15/2006 Jazz Cafe UK London,England 6/4/2006 Long¹s Park Ampitheatre Lancaster PA 6/8/2006 Chicago Blues Festival Chicago,IL 6/16/2006 Bonnaroo Manchester,TN 6/17/2006 WC Handy Blues & BBQ Festival Henderson KY 6/24/2006 Monterey Bay Blues Festival Monterey CA 8/19/2006 Madison Ribberfest Madison, IN