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DTSTAMP:20260714T094007Z
DTSTART:20260820T023000Z
DTEND:20260820T050000Z
SUMMARY:Vanessa Collier
DESCRIPTION:Singer/songwriter Vanessa Collier’s sixth album Do It My Own 
 Way was released September 13 via Phenix Fire Records. Recorded on analog 
 gear with the musicians largely in one room\, Do It My Own Way is sonicall
 y inspired by the classic Memphis soul sound of Stax and Hi Records\, espe
 cially that of the Staples Singers. Second single “Wild As a Rainstorm\,
 ” which dives deep into soul territory\, powerfully gives advice to wome
 n and people who feel left out to ignore the naysayers and “Be a tapestr
 y of dreams.” The track been added to Spotify’s official Retro Soul pl
 aylist. The groove and horns would make Willie Mitchell proud\, and indeed
  features legendary Hi Records organist Rev. Charles Hodges. The vocals ar
 e powerful\, awe-inspiring\, and undeniably soulful vocals.\n\nTalking abo
 ut the album\, Collier adds\, “It’s a warmer and darker sounding a rec
 ord\, recorded intentionally to reflect a throwback to older school soul\,
  R&B\, blues\, and to the days of great songs and songwriters\, tube amps 
 and analog gear.” Do It My Own Way takes listeners back to the heyday of
  music with Memphis soul-influenced horn arrangements\, layers of vocals f
 or color\, with poignant and powerful saxophone solos that deliver a quiet
 ly powerful undercurrent to each song and the album as a whole. Minor key 
 Americana/noir “Take Me Back” served as the first single. The album ki
 cks off with the funk workout “Elbow Grease.” On an album full of incr
 edible grooves\, “Shoulda Known Better” stands out while “Just One M
 ore” sways to a rhumba beat.\n\nThe gospel-tinged “Rosetta” pays tri
 bute to one of Collier’s heroes\, electric guitar pioneer Sister Rosetta
  Tharpe. Collier sings\, “She’s carried the torch so I can see a littl
 e bit better... There’d be no Elvis or Chuck Berry. Sometimes the women 
 do it best. She tackled all the inequities. And fought with strength and a
 udacity.”\n\nKicking off on resonator guitar before the full band joins 
 in\, album closer “Warrior” paints the picture of a powerful woman and
  is both a universal message about the strength and experience of women an
 d a tribute to Collier’s mother. The anthemic\, slinky third single and 
 title track artfully commenting on the sexism she’s encountered in life 
 and in the music industry. Collier has encountered calls from members of t
 he industry to dress in sexy clothes and to not rock the boat\, but has su
 ccessfully taken hold of her own career.\n\n“The opening lines are a pie
 rcing statement of the overused\, antiquated\, and tired views within the 
 industry. And the lyrics of the second verse demonstrate how the industry 
 attempts to put and keep women ‘in their place’ by undermining them\,
 ” she recounts\, continuing\, “I find that most artists I admire - nam
 ely\, Prince\, James Brown\, and Bonnie Raitt\, went against the grain and
  did things that people hadn’t thought of before and that people hadn’
 t seen before\, changing the industry as they went. This song is an assura
 nce that I will continue to choose to fight quietly or publicly\, if neede
 d\, to represent myself how I want to be represented in this industry and 
 that I will not allow someone else to define who I am. It’s also a state
 ment of hope that the industry is\, can\, and will continue to progress.
 ”\n\nOf “Wild as a Rainstorm\,” Collier says\, “’Wild As A Rains
 torm’ is a love letter to the next generation -– particularly my littl
 e sisters – who feel out of place in the current world. I’m hoping tha
 t this song and my journey to recognize my own personal power might inspir
 e another to choose to take their own path when repeatedly arriving at for
 ks in the road.”\n\nCollier takes on multiple roles\, writing the songs\
 , producing the album\, arranging horns and all instrumental and vocal par
 ts\, playing acoustic and electric guitars and alto and tenor saxophones\,
  flute\, as well as singing the lead and background vocals. Also on the al
 bum are legendary Hi Records organ player Rev. Charles Hodges (Al Green\, 
 Bettye LaVette\, Ann Peebles\, Alex Chilton\, Robert Cray)\; and frequent 
 Collier collaborators Blues Music Award-winning guitarist Laura Chavez\; b
 assist Scott Sutherland\; and Byron Cage.\n\nThe songwriter/bandleader mad
 e her Chicago Blues Festival debut this year\, in front of tens of thousan
 ds. Best known in the blues world – she’s a fifteen-time Blues Music A
 ward nominee and five-time winner\, including nominations for the monument
 al Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year\, Horn Player of the Year\
 , B.B. King Entertainer of the Year\, and Contemporary Blues Album of the 
 Year for “Do It My Own Way”. Do It My Own Way finds her influenced by 
 soul artists like Mavis Staples\, Sharon Jones\, James Brown\, Sister Rose
 tta Tharpe\, and Aretha Franklin.\n\n[Description truncated from official 
 ticketing copy for length.]
URL:https://townloops.com/slt/events/vanessa-collier-2026-08-19
LOCATION:Valhalla Tahoe\, 1 Valhalla Rd\, South Lake Tahoe\, CA 96151
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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