Sweet Claudette
Detroit’s Matriarch of the Blues, 'Sweet Claudette' Harrell-Manning is Alabama bound for three mid-June shows. Her style of delivery is tastefully sassy and sometimes raw. Sweet Claudette can work from the stage or just as easily take it out to the audience. This lady is a performer who can give you blues straight up, with no chaser, or raw, low down and dirty. Sweet Claudette’s sultry-blues/
"Claudette is the epitome of Detroit finger-snapping party blues, but she's also a master at the low down." --- Mark E. Gallo, BluesByte, '09
Sweet Claudette’s first show is Saturday, June 12th. Complete line-up is Labron Lazenby & the LA3, Sweet Claudette and John Bull Duo. Magic City Blues Society will kick off this event at 2:30 PM, Trey Taylor’s Studio in Avondale (near the park), 430 41st Street, South Birmingham, Alabama 35222. Event entrance fees are: $10 non-members, $8 for MCBS members when you flash your membership card, $5 for 13-17 years old, 12 & under are free. To join the Magic City Blues Society, for more info, or to be added to the email list, please visit The Magic City Blues Society at www.MagicCityBlues.org. The lending library will be there, so members can check out some of the (over 1000) items. Bring your lawn chair and whatever you want to drink. Please try to avoid bringing glass. There will be a vendor grilling ribs and other meats.
On Friday, June 18th, Little Willie’s, 2350 Fourth St, Tuscaloosa, AL. the Alabama Women of the Blues (Debbie Bond, Sweet Claudette, Carroline Shines, and Shar-Baby) are coming together for Rachel Edwards’ birthday celebration. Rachel is part of the ABP. Each blues diva will dish up their own brand of scorching blues, then come together for a dynamite finale. Possible cover.
Sweet Claudette’s last Alabama performance is 9PM on Saturday, June 19th at Mr. Gips, 3101 Avenue C, Bessmer, Alabama. As a piece of history, this is one of the last three juke joints in this country. Casual dress. A great place to dance the night away.
Sweet Claudette is most remembered from her five years of area performances with the Alabama Women of the Blues at the Willie King Freedom Creek Festival.
Sweet Claudette has several CDs released with more than 36 of her own songs and covers, such as one of the classic blues releases, Aint Nobody's Bizness. Sweet Claudette's latest release of THAT MAN'S GOT TO GO, charted at # 17 on the Living Blues Magazine, last year. She was the featured artist at a radio station in France for the week of June 2009, Henry Ford College WHFR-FM and in the country of Argentina. Sweet Claudette successes are attributed to the great musicians she hand picks for each release and live performances. Drummer / husband, Greg Manning and longtime friends, saxman, Marty Montgomery and guitarist Howard Glazer delivers their own recognizable styles to Sweet Claudette's music.
"Ms. Claudette, though relatively unknown on the national scene, has the sound of a woman who has been singing the Blues for a good long time..." KVKR-FM, January '09.
Stop by and hollar, hollar at Sweet Claudette at any or all of these shows. (photo by Birmingham resident, Jim Newport)
