 Alligator
Records has announced the signing of Blues,
Soul and R&B vocalist Janiva Magness. A 30-year veteran of
the music scene, Magness has a soulful, husky voice and absolute command
over her material. Winner of the 2006 and 2007 Blues Music Awards
for Best Contemporary Female Artist Of The Year, Magness’ steady
ascension to the top of the Blues world will undoubtedly continue
its upward trajectory.
According to Alligator president
Bruce Iglauer, signing Magness was a natural move for the label.
“I've been watching Janiva over the last few years and seeing
her mature into a major artist. Her deep, subtle understanding of
Blues and R&B music is obvious in every note she sings. Plus,
her live performances simply captivate the audience. She's going
to be a wonderful addition to the Alligator roster, and prove to
be one of today’s and tomorrow’s crucial Blues voices.”
And Magness is equally thrilled.
“I am so very grateful for all the gifts in my life. One of
those gifts is joining the Alligator family. I’m very excited
about this new chapter in my life. This is a huge step up for my
career.”
Born in Detroit, Magness was inspired
by the Blues and Country she heard on her father’s record
collection and by the vibrant music of the city’s classic
Motown sound. By her teenage years, though, her life was in chaos.
She lost both parents to suicide by the time she was 16. She lived
on the streets, was in 12 foster homes in two years, became a teenage
mother who gave her baby up for adoption, bounced from city to city,
and felt hopeless and desperate.
One
winter’s night, Magness hitchhiked across Minneapolis to attend
an Otis Rush concert, and for the first time saw her future. “It
opened up some other place in me, like letting oxygen into a sealed
crypt for the first time.” She began going to as many Blues
shows as possible, soaking up the sounds of her favorite artists,
including Johnny Copeland and Albert Collins. She listened to James
Brown, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and all the other R&B greats.
The rest, as they say, is history.
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