Sue Foley — “Live in Austin Vol. 1 — Stony Plain Records
“Blues is the soul of music. Period.”
That’s how Sue Foley described the music in 1993, in a brief video remembrance of her attraction to the blues and her arrival in Austin, Texas, from Canada a few years earlier (watch the video here).
Since then, Foley has made her mark on the blues world with fiery guitar work, tough vocals, plus a sensitivity and passion for the blues and roots music that livens every note.
Foley is a multiple award-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist who’s been featured on dozens of her own and other albums and tours extensively, but also writes about the blues, teaches guitar, and brings to her music an understanding of its rich history.
All of that has led to her latest album, “Live in Austin Vol. 1,” as she pulls together eleven original songs and covers in a sparkling live performance that illustrates the bright arc of her musical career. Recorded live at Austin’s Continental Club last May, Foley gives us some first-ever live recordings of early hits, plus some sharp covers.
Foley’s band here is made up of her usual mates, Corey Keller on drums and Jon Penner on bass, with the stellar addition of Austin guitarist Derek O’Brien, who coproduced Foley’s first two albums.
For the session opener, Foley reaches back into her 2006 alubum of the same name for the auto-erotic, hard-driving “New Used Car,” with typically tough solos, followed by another original, the equally ferocious “Walkin’ Home.”
“Highwayside” has a country-rock twang, but Foley’s sensuous take on Howlin’ Wolf’s “Howlin For My Darlin'” puts her squarely back into a historic blues vein as she calls out a fiery solo by guitarist Derek O’Brien. Her “Queen Bee” is a smoothly honeyed version of the Sim Harpo swamp classic, “King Bee.”
The instrumental “Hooked on Love (Lucky Lou)” lets Foley stretch out on a guitar showcase rich with tone and notes wound tightly for maximum pleasure. Her version of Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street” replaces his sharp-edged vocals with a slightly softer lyrical take and elegant guitar solo.
Foley moves back into deep blues history with another cover — the Memphis Minnie chestnut, “Me and My Chauffeur Blues,” which could easily have been paired with the attitude of the opener, “New Used Car” as its driving wheel. The sultry shuffle of Foley’s original “Better” is another sensual take — “I will love you better than your other girls can…”
The set closer is a strong cover of Cheap Trick’s ’70s rocker, “High Roller,” as Foley leaves us breathless with its furious pacing.
This terrific live album is a capsule version of Sue Foley’s wide-ranging talents that have brought her to her current spot — just sittin’ on top of the world of blues music. Let’s hope volume two isn’t far behind.
Sue Foley video bio from 1993:
“New Used Car” from the album:
Tracklist and credits:
1: Introduction by Steve Wertheimer (00:29)
2: New Used Car (3:47) (Sue Foley, Mechanicsville Music SOCAN/ASCAP)
3: Walkin’ Home (3:22) (Sue Foley, Robert Grant, Mechanicsville Music SOCAN/ASCAP)
4: Highwayside (4:03) (Sue Foley, Mechanicsville Music SOCAN/ASCAP)
5: Howlin For My Darlin (4:59) (Willie Dixon, Chester Burnett, Hoochie Coochie Music, Arc Music BMI)
6: Queen Bee (4:19) (James Moore, Embassy Music Corp, BMI)
7: Hooked On Love (aka Lucky Lou) (4:07) (Jodi Williams, ARC Music, BMI)
8: Positively 4th Street (5:25) (Bob Dylan, Sony Music Entertainment)
9: Me and My Chauffeur Blues (4:27) (Ernest Lawler, Songs of Universal Inc., Wabash Music Company, BMI)
10: Better (4:52) (Sue Foley, Mechanicsville Music, SOCAN/ASCAP)
11: High Roller (5:01) (Richard Alan Nielsen, Tom Petersson, Robin W Zander, Adult Music, Screen Gems-EMI Music Inc., BMI, SESAC)
Recorded Live at The Continental Club, Austin, TX, May 19, 2023
Produced by Mike Flanigin
Featuring:
Sue Foley – Guitar, Vocals
Jon Penner – Bass
Corey Keller – Drums
Derek O’Brien – Guitar
Angela Miller – Background Vocals, Tambourine
Lauren Cervantes – Background Vocals
1: Introduction by Steve Wertheimer (00:29)
2: New Used Car (3:47)
(Sue Foley, Mechanicsville Music SOCAN/ASCAP)
3: Walkin’ Home (3:22)
(Sue Foley, Robert Grant, Mechanicsville Music SOCAN/ASCAP)
4: Highwayside (4:03)
(Sue Foley, Mechanicsville Music SOCAN/ASCAP)
5: Howlin For My Darlin (4:59)
(Willie Dixon, Chester Burnett, Hoochie Coochie Music, Arc Music BMI)
6: Queen Bee (4:19)
(James Moore, Embassy Music Corp, BMI)
7: Hooked On Love (aka Lucky Lou) (4:07)
(Jodi Williams, ARC Music, BMI)
8: Positively 4th Street (5:25)
(Bob Dylan, Sony Music Entertainment)
9: Me and My Chauffeur Blues (4:27)
(Ernest Lawler, Songs of Universal Inc., Wabash Music Company, BMI)
10: Better (4:52)
(Sue Foley, Mechanicsville Music, SOCAN/ASCAP)
11: High Roller (5:01)
(Richard Alan Nielsen, Tom Petersson, Robin W Zander, Adult Music, Screen Gems-EMI Music Inc., BMI, SESAC)
Recorded Live at The Continental Club, Austin, TX, May 19, 2023
Produced by Mike Flanigin
Featuring:
Sue Foley – Guitar, Vocals
Jon Penner – Bass
Corey Keller – Drums
Derek O’Brien – Guitar
Angela Miller – Background Vocals, Tambourine
Lauren Cervantes – Background Vocals
Blues Roadhouse 