Los Angeles, CA (Top40 Charts/ Conqueroo) Ruthie Foster's new album, Let It Burn, was released last week to much fanfare in the press, coinciding with an NPR Weekend Edition story and the start of a U.S. tour on a co-bill with Paul Thorn. The tour will run right up until SXSW where Ruthie will perform at an official showcase along with other high-profile appearances in Austin that week.
Billboard announced three chart debuts: #2 on the magazine's blues chart (behind only the late Etta James), #6 on the Heatseekers chart, and Foster's first time on the Current Top 200 albums chart with a debut of #175.
The singer/songwriter has also received some of the highest press accolades of her career with Let It Burn:
"This is music that transcends genre. She performs . . . magic throughout Let It Burn" -Los Angeles Times
"Foster's gripping versions of . . . "If I Had a Hammer" and . . . "Ring of Fire" cast these standards in an entirely fresh and soulful light and will hopefully expose [her] obvious talents to a larger audience." —American Songwriter
"[She] comes into her own here. Not just as a stylist, mind you, but as a woman who can create [a] singular music patchwork, cross-pollinating and marching what she sees beyond genre lines." —Paste
"An unexpected gem that deserves your full attention." —Yahoo! Music
"Whichever era Foster picks, Let It Burn always feels utterly timeless." — All Music
" . . . makes the listener want to jump in the aisles and shout with joy."—PopMatters
"Can burn up any stage with a voice that belts out soul, blues, rock and folk."—Los Angeles Magazine
"Burn baby, burn." —Austin Chronicle
The Grammy-nominated, Blues
Music Award- and Austin
Music Award-winning artist, who calls
Texas home, recorded Let It Burn at New Orleans' Piety Street Studios with some of the city's finest musicians, resulting in an infusion of fresh spices into her already rich sonic gumbo.
The New Orleans players — the Funky Meters' rhythm section of bassist
George Porter Jr. and drummer Russell Batiste, guitarist Dave Easley, and renowned saxophonist
James Rivers — collectively infuse the tracks with a groove-based, in-the-pocket vibe. The addition of Hammond B3 wizard Ike Stubblefield, who has toured and recorded with everyone from Curtis Mayfield to Eric Clapton, gives the album a jazzy organ-combo feel. Finally, legendary gospel singers the
Blind Boys of
Alabama and soul icon
William Bell add extra depth to the project's surprisingly diverse collection of cover songs and fresh originals. John Chelew produced the album.
Highlighting Foster's strengths as an interpreter, Let It Burn features covers of an eclectic group of songs originally performed by Adele, The
Black Keys, Los Lobos, Johnny Cash, The Band, Pete Seeger, John Martyn, Robbie Robertson, and Crosby,
Stills & Nash. The album also includes several new Ruthie Foster compositions.
Tues., Feb. 7 ARCATA, CA Humboldt
State University, with Paul Thorn
Wed., Feb. 8 NAPA, CA Napa Valley Opera House, with Paul Thorn
Thurs., Feb. 9 SAN FRANCISCO, CA Great American
Music Hall, with Paul Thorn
Fri., Feb. 10 SANTA BARBARA, CA UC
Santa Barbara, with Paul Thorn
Sat., Feb. 11 PHOENIX, AZ The Compound Grill, with Paul Thorn
Sun., Feb. 12 TUCSON, AZ Berger Performing Arts Center, with Paul Thorn
Tues., Feb. 14 STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO
Strings Music Pavilion, with Paul Thorn
Thurs., Feb. 16 DURANGO, CO Fort Lewis College, with Paul Thorn
Fri., Feb. 17 BEAVER CREEK, CO Vilar Center for the Arts, with Paul Thorn
Sat., Feb. 18 DENVER, CO L2 Arts & Culture Center, with Paul Thorn
Thurs., Feb. 23 THE WOODLANDS, TX Dosey Doe Café
Fri., Feb. 24 AUSTIN, TX Antone's
Sat., Feb. 25 SAN ANTONIO, TX Sam's Burger Joint
Tues., March 6 ANNAPOLIS, MD Ramshead, with Paul Thorn
Wed., March 7 ALEXANDRIA, VA Birchmere, with Paul Thorn
Thurs., March 8 PHILADELPHIA, PA WCL, with Paul Thorn
Fri., March 9 NEW YORK, NY City Winery, with Paul Thorn
Sat., March 10 CHATHAM, NJ The Sanctuary Concerts, with Paul Thorn
Wed.-Fri., March 14-16 AUSTIN, TX SXSW
Sat., March 17 DALLAS, TX Kessler Theater
Fri., March 23 DECATUR, GA Eddie's Attic
Sat.-Sun., March 24-25 SAVANNAH, GA Savannah
Music Fest, with Campbell Brothers
Wed., March 28 KANSAS CITY, MO Knucklehead's, with Paul Thorn
Thurs., March 29 ST. LOUIS, MO Old Rock House, with Paul Thorn
Fri., March 30 BLOOMINGTON, IL The Castle Theater, with Paul Thorn
Sat., March 31 SCHAUMBURG, IL Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts
Mon.-Tues., April 2-3 MINNEAPOLIS, MN The Dakota, with Paul Thorn
Thurs., April 5 AUSTIN, TX Long Center for the Performing Arts
Sat., April 21 HOUSTON, TX
Houston International Festival
Tues., May 2 LAFAYETTE, LA Acadiana Center for the Arts, with Paul Thorn
Fri., May 4 BATON ROUGE, LA Manship Theatre, with Paul Thorn
Sat., May 5 MERIDIAN, MS Mississippi
State University, with Paul Thorn
Fri., May 11 SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WI South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
Sat., May 12 GREEN LAKE, WI Thrasher Opera House
Fri., May 18 CHEROKEE, TX Cherokee Creek
Music Festival
Sun., May 20 CHARLESTON, WV Charlie West Blues Fest
Fri., June 1 MEMPHIS, TN Levitt Shell at Overton Park
Sat., June 2 EUREKA SPRINGS, AR Eureka Springs Blues Weekend
Sat., June 16 HENDERSON, KY Handy Blues and Barbeque Festival
Sat., June 30 LAYTONVILLE, CA Kate Wolf
Music Festival
