Bettye LaVette

Legendary soul singer Bettye LaVette brings her distinct blend of rock, pop, gospel and R&B to BlackRock. Discovered at the age of 16 by legendary Motor City music raconteur, Johnnie Mae Matthews, LaVette boasts a career that spans five decades. She recently is finding a new audience through her memorable tribute performance to The Who at the Kennedy Center Honors, her appearance with Jon Bon Jovi at President’s Obama’s pre-inaugural concert, and having two of her recordings featured on the popular ABC series Scandal. LaVette’s most notable recordings are I've Got My Own Hell to Raise, which consists of songs by female composers ranging from Sinead O’Connor to Dolly Parton, the Grammy-nominated album The Scene of the Crime in which she collaborates with the Drive by Truckers, and her latest album Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook, a 12-song journey through compositions by the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Traffic and Pink Floyd, and more. In 2013 and 2014, LaVette was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Contemporary Blues Female Artist' category. "Ms. LaVette now rivals Aretha Franklin as her generation's most vital soul singer." – The New York Times