2019 Grammy Nominated for Contemporary Blues Album of the Year.

Teresa James has always considered herself a blue collar singer, a working musician. “I was never just going for the label deal. I came up in the world where you worked six nights a week,” she explains. Whether it was singing in clubs or for tv sitcoms (“The Ellen Show”, “Step By Step”, Reba”), contributing a song to the Disney movie “Holes”, or touring with Eric Burdon. James has paid her dues in order to sing the blues. She has earned her current status as a well-respected member of the Los Angeles music scene while retaining the down-to-earth qualities which leads Mike Finnigan, a longtime friend and collaborator to say “she is just folks”. All of that dues paying has paid off with the release of Teresa’s 10th cd the 2019 Grammy nominated “Here In Babylon” on JesiLu Records.

Called a singer’s singer by many. (When the SAG Singer’s Committee got together to honor composer Randy Newman, Teresa was chosen as the soloist to perform his favorite song to him.) She has recorded with Walter Trout, Eric Burdon, Spencer Davis, Tommy Castro, Stephen Bruton, Randy Newman, Lee Roy Parnell, Neil Diamond, and many others. She has performed live with lots of other artists, including: Al Anderson, Marcia Ball, Levon Helm, Delbert McClinton, Eric Burdon & the Animals, Curtis Salgado to mention just a few.

REVIEWS AND PRESS NOTES:

Downbeat Magazine has given each of her last 4 CDs 4 star reviews (not an easy thing to get) and her latest CD “Here In Babylon” has been nominated for a Grammy for “Best Contemporary Blues Album” for 2019.

Here’s what some reviewers have said about her latest album:

Rootstime (Belgium) - Teresa James has once again created a completely timeless blues record of unprecedented levels with "Here in Babylon", and is certainly the best thing we have heard in the genre for a long time. So it is high time to embrace this great blues singer in a much broader circle.

Blues Matters magazine in the U.K. is quoted “the girls voice does the talking alright with a knife edge when she wants rip your ears off or your heart out!”

The Pasadena Weekly said…”She is one of the most honest, gutsy, incredible singers you'll find. The Texas-bred James takes creative chances, investing amazing soul and spirit in her music.”

Levon Helm of "The Band" said "Teresa James is a true original. When she sings you can feel it in your bones.”



Indie Music Blog Review of “Here In Babylon”

Review: “The first thing you notice about this album is the sweet and smooth voice of Teresa James, which rises above the instrumental background. The band James has assembled are some of the best in their field, and time and time again they provide her with the perfect accompaniment for her voice and the well-crafted songs.

Recommendation: Get this one like there’s no tomorrow. It will appeal to just about everyone.

Here’s a little of what Bill Bentley from Sonic Boomers said about Teresa and her “You Know You Love It” cd. “This is the stuff they don't teach you in school….. These are the keepers of the unknown language. Teresa’s voice is all-knowing, like she's been to the places most of us aren't able to go. It is a mixture of rejection and redemption, … be glad there are still people like Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps who care enough to do this and share their spirits. Each and every one of them should receive a letter jacket with a big "S" for soul on it. Class dismissed. “

THE RHYTHM TRAMPS:

Teresa and her band the Rhythm Tramps are a Los Angeles based band 6 piece band made up of players that have either played or recorded with such artists as Eric Burdon & the Animals, Bonnie Raitt, Delbert McClinton, Taj Mahal, Keb Mo, Jimmy Reed, Lightin’ Hopkins, Jimmy Vaughan, John Martyn, Big Al Anderson (NRBQ), Johnny Nash, Jennifer Warnes, Smokey Robinson, Tom Jones, Tower Of Power, just to name a few and have had their songs recorded by Paul Rodgers, Kathy Mattea, Eric Burdon, Tommy Castro, Marcia Ball and others. As one critic said, “there are no clichés in this band”. They move easily through Texas style grease and blues into Memphis soul or New Orleans flavored grooves and all points in between with fun and abandonment.

Teresa and the band have toured all over N. America and Europe and have played such music festivals as The Nottodden Blues Festival in Norway, Moulin Osprey in Holland, Tampa Blues Festival, iFest in Houston, Tx. Main St Arts Festival in Ft. Worth, Tx. Portand, Oregon’s Waterfront Festival, New Hampshire’s The White Mountain Boogie & Blues Festival and she has been one of the featured acts on Delbert McClinton’s Sandy Beaches Cruise for the past 16 years along with Delbert, John Hiatt, Keb Mo, Lyle Lovett, California Honeydrops…to name a few. She was nominated by the Blues Foundation in ’08 for “Contemporary Female Blues Artist of the Year”. Her latest cd – Teresa James & the rhythm tramps LIVE. Recorded over 4 nights at Bogies in Westlake Village, Ca is Nominated for Blues Blast Live Blues recording for best record. Teresa and her husband, along with the band are working on their 12th cd….no scheduled release date yet for this.

For Booking: Contact David Hickey - dha66@sbcglobal.net