Best Vocal Blues
Church Street Blues is a solo acoustic album by bluegrass guitarist Tony Rice, released in 1983 by Sugar Hill Records. The album departs from full-band bluegrass to focus heavily on Rice's distinctive flatpicking guitar technique and understated vocal performances. Alongside traditional covers and o...
Sound & Color is the second studio album by Alabama Shakes, released in 2015. The band expands its blues-rock foundation with country, soul, and spacious rock arrangements, while Brittany Howard contributes lead vocals and guitar. The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 and won the Grammy...
"Bluesette" is a jazz standard composed in 1962 by the Belgian musician Toots Thielemans, who famously performed it on the chromatic harmonica. Written as a jazz waltz in 3/4 time, the piece features a memorable, upbeat melody and a cyclical chord progression that has made it popular among both jazz...
Bobby Blue Bland’s “Two Steps from the Blues,” released in 1961, showcases the Memphis blues artist's distinctive vocal style and soulful interpretations. The album is notable for establishing Bland’s signature sound—a potent blend of traditional blues with emerging soul influences. It remains a sig...
The Boss of the Blues is a 1956 Atlantic album by American blues and rhythm-and-blues singer Big Joe Turner. The record presents Turner with arrangements by Ernie Wilkins and backing that includes pianist Pete Johnson and musicians associated with the Count Basie and Duke Ellington orchestras. Its K...
The Phosphorescent Blues is the fourth studio album by the American progressive bluegrass band Punch Brothers, released on January 27, 2015, via Nonesuch Records. The album was produced by T Bone Burnett and explores themes related to technology's impact on human interaction and daily life. The albu...
Evenin' Blues is an album by American blues and jazz vocalist Jimmy Witherspoon. Recorded in 1963 and issued on the Prestige label, it places Witherspoon's deep baritone and phrasing in a small-group setting shaped by blues, jazz, swing, and rhythm and blues. It is suited to listeners exploring post...
Boys & Girls is the 2012 debut album by Alabama Shakes, a rock band formed in Athens, Alabama. The record features Brittany Howard's lead vocals and guitar alongside Zac Cockrell, Heath Fogg, and Steve Johnson, and its blues and soul influences are especially clear on the single "Hold On." It reache...
Percy Mayfield’s 1950s recordings represent a significant contribution to West Coast blues music. Known for his distinctive piano style and emotive vocals, Mayfield delivered powerful vocal-blues tracks that blended traditional sounds with jazz influences. His albums are particularly appreciated by...
Big Joe Turner’s “Boss of the Blues” is a significant 1956 Atlantic Records album showcasing Kansas City’s vibrant blues scene. Featuring collaborations with pianist Pete Johnson, the record established itself as a key example of jump blues and boogie-woogie. It's notable for Turner’s powerful vocal...
Bobby Blue Bland’s “His California Album” released in 1973 showcases a mature evolution of his vocal style. The album features a distinctive blend of Memphis blues with sophisticated arrangements influenced by West Coast production trends. It's notable for its soulful delivery and complex instrument...
Ball 'n' Chain is a 1968 blues album by American singer and songwriter Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, originally issued by Arhoolie Records. It is an anthology drawn from Thornton's Arhoolie recording sessions with Buddy Guy's All Star band in 1965 and Muddy Waters' blues band in 1966. The album in...
The Truth According to Ruthie Foster is a studio album by American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Ruthie Foster, released in 2009 by Blue Corn Music. The 11-track record draws on blues, soul, gospel, and folk-rooted songwriting, with Foster's vocals and guitar at the center. It is intended for li...
Jimmy Witherspoon’s *Blowin’ in from Kansas City* showcases the iconic blues vocalist's distinctive baritone style. Recorded in the 1950s, this album represents a pivotal moment in jazz-influenced vocal blues. Witherspoon’s performance blends traditional blues roots with the energy of postwar jump b...
Bobby Blue Bland’s “Dreamer,” released in 1974, represents a significant work within the Memphis blues tradition. The album showcases Bland's distinctive soulful vocal style and his continued partnership with producer Steve Barri. It blends classic blues instrumentation with elements of soul music,...
"Women Be Wise" is an album by Texas blues singer Sippie Wallace, released in 1966 on the Storyville label. Wallace, who initially recorded in the 1920s, experienced a career revival during the 1960s blues revival. The album includes the titular track "Women Be Wise," a song later covered and popula...
Seesaw is a 2013 studio album by American singer Beth Hart and blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa. It is a covers album built from blues, soul, and popular song material, including versions of “Them There Eyes,” “Nutbush City Limits,” “Strange Fruit,” and the title song. The album received a nominat...
Promise of a Brand New Day is a 2014 studio album by American singer and guitarist Ruthie Foster. Released by Blue Corn Music, it contains 12 songs and brings together blues, gospel, soul, and roots-oriented songwriting, with Meshell Ndegeocello as producer. The album was nominated for a Grammy Awar...
Leave the Light On is a studio album by American singer, songwriter, and pianist Beth Hart, released in 2003. Its standard eleven-song program includes the title track, "Lifts You Up," "World Without You," and "Broken & Ugly." The album uses a roots-oriented rock setting with piano, guitars, rhythm...
Honest Woman is a 2016 independent album by Detroit singer and songwriter Thornetta Davis. The 13-track, 61-minute release draws on Detroit blues, rhythm and blues, and soul traditions, with Davis credited as a performer and writer on several songs. It includes "I Believe (Everything Gonna Be Alrigh...
Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters is Paul Rodgers's 1993 solo album devoted mainly to songs associated with Chicago blues musician Muddy Waters. Rodgers, known for his work with Free and Bad Company, is joined by guest guitarists and musicians including Jeff Beck, David Gilmour, Buddy Guy...
Love Is an Army is a 2018 album by American blues and soul singer Janiva Magness. The record combines blues, soul, and roots influences with a contemporary studio presentation, while keeping Magness's lead voice as its central musical feature. It is suited to listeners interested in modern soul-blue...
Blues on Broadway is a 1989 album by American singer Ruth Brown, released during the revival of her recording and stage career. Its repertoire and delivery reflect her work in blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, and musical theater, with an emphasis on dramatic vocal interpretation. The album won the Gra...
Bang Bang Boom Boom is a 2012 studio album by American singer-songwriter Beth Hart. Its 12-song program includes the original tracks "Baddest Blues," "Caught Out in the Rain," and the title song, while a bonus version of "I'd Rather Go Blind" features Jeff Beck. The album presents Hart's blues, soul...
This microphone is designed for maximum output and handling low-frequency energy, making it excellent for singers whose voices carry a lot of chest resonance or for genres like gospel and blues. It provides a powerful, grounded sound that anchors the vocal mix. While less versatile than the Beta 58A...
