Rory Block
Heralded as “a living landmark” (Berkeley Express), “a national treasure” (Guitar Extra), and “one of the greatest living acoustic blues artists” (Blues Revue), Rory Block has committed her life and her career to preserving the Delta blues tradition and bringing it to life for 21st century audiences around the world. A traditionalist and an innovator at the same time, she wields a fiery and haunting guitar and vocal style that redefines the boundaries of acoustic blues and folk. The New York Times declared: “Her playing is perfect, her singing otherworldly as she wrestles with ghosts, shadows and legends.”
World renowned for her mastery of country blues, Rory Block has won the W.C. Handy award for "Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year" in 1997 and 1998 and "Acoustic Blues Album of the Year" in 1996 & 1999. Add to these laurels her many awards, including the French "Trophees France Blues 98 -- International Guitarist Acoustique '98" -- and one can see that Rory Block has become one of the all-time highest regarded blues artists in the world. In her latest triumph, the "2007 Blues Music Award" -winning CD "The Lady and Mr Johnson" was named Acoustic Album of the Year.
Block plays regularly to devoted, enthusiastic audiences throughout America and Europe. She's performed and recorded with an such luminaries as Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Wonder, Mark Knopfler, Taj Mahal, Keb' Mo, Jorma Kaukonen, the Band, Mary Chapin Carpenter and many others. She is an esteemed presence as a songwriter, having garnered not only a gold record in Europe for her album, Best Blues And Originals, but has also won three INDIE awards for "Best Adult Contemporary Album of the Year."
She is beloved for the power and honesty of her songwriting and for the unique directness and passion of her performances.
"Rory Block has been an inspiration to me since we started out years ago. Her guitar playing, singing and songwriting are some of the most soulful in traditional and modern blues." Bonnie Raitt
