Ruthie Foster at The Pines...

The Angelina Arts Alliance continues to bring good music to Lufkin, Tx. Last night it was Texas singer songwriter Ruthie Foster and her crack band. They provided a wonderful evening of joyfully played music spanning the Ruthie's own tunes, the blues, gospel and fine interpretations of the Texas singer songwriter tradition. 

I've seen Ruthie Foster before. It was at the jazzfest in New Orleans, outside on a warm May afternoon. I can't recall the year. I can recall that I had some great photos and I can see them in my mind but it must have been in the pre blog days because I can't find that I ever posted them online. 

Ruthie's band was sharp. She mentioned, "everyone just came in yesterday from Minneapolis, Houston, Austin..." and other statements she made led me to believe there had not been a lot of live performances during the pandemic but if they had just begun a tour and playing together you could not tell it. The music was soulful, tight and you could tell the band had Ruthie's vibe and spirit of her songs in their pockets.

These were pros and I guess for my meager music journalism I should make notes to remember names better. The bass player was Larry who claimed roots to the area with family driving over from Groveton for the show and stories of the old Black Kat Club out on Highway 94 he was an in the groove dude with great backup vocals. His current day job is with Taj Mahal's Phantom Blues Band. 

 

The keyboard and mandolin player was Scotty, introduced as a singer songwriter in his own right and as a former member of the late Bo Diddley's band.  

I am sorry I did not get the drummer's name and musical pedigree but he was a strong player and smooth backup singer. 

Ruthie is a Texas musician born in Gause, Tx. She was in the Navy and has won numerous blues awards and collaborated with heavy weight rock and blues artists the Allman Brothers and the Tedeschi Trucks Band.  

Hopefully you won't read this and say, "I have never heard of Ruthie Foster." The audience at The Pines had not just come to a show. They came to see her and the music poured out of her heart to fill them, her band and be carried out through world. 

You should get some of that also. 

Here's a Johnny Cash song she performed last night: