CATHY LEMONS is a legendary, blues singing firebird out of Dallas, Texas, who has mesmerized audiences with her “velvety and hypnotic voice, resonant of a female Howlin’ Wolf” (Fulltimeblues 2010) for over 25 years. A seasoned and expressive songwriter, Cathy brings profound authenticity to her craft, spinning inspiration from acts of faith, redemption, and love from all sides. Throughout her career, Cathy has proven herself to be a brave, road tested entertainer, who delivers emotional and electrifying performances night after night.
Inspired by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Lou Ann Barton, and Diana Jones, Cathy earned her stripes, performing across the Lone Star state. From her early days, Cathy’s natural gifts accorded her the honor of recording with the great American blues guitar player and bandleader, Anson Funderburgh. Soon after that, she was invited to share the stage with six time Grammy Award winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Cathy’s smoldering vocal stylings and charismatic stage presence landed her a gig, touring as John Lee Hooker’s send off singer in 1987. Over the years, Cathy has collaborated with many great names in blues, such as Tommy Castro, Steve Freund (Sunnyland Slim, Koko Taylor), David Maxwell (Bonnie Raitt), Kid Andersen, and more.
To date, Cathy Lemons has released nine studio albums, four of which are on the national label, Vizztone ("Lemonace (2010),” "Black Crow (2014)," “Godless Land (2020),” & “Standin’ Pat (2022)”) Her critically acclaimed “Black Crow” was nominated for a “Welcome Back” Jimi Award from Blues411. The album made the 2014 Downbeat “Winners Pick” and was featured in Blues Matters’ “Top 10 Albums” in the U.K.
Since her relocation to the San Francisco Bay Area, Cathy has co-produced successful songwriter shows at legendary venues, such as Slim’s and The Great American Music Hall. She has also organized and promoted multiple successful benefits to help struggling Bay Area musicians. “Blues Gives Back” is her brain-child, an annual, star-studded show where 100% of the proceeds go to Freedom House, a safe house for trafficking survivors. Cathy has performed at The Fillmore in San Francisco, Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, Blues by the Bay in Eureka, The Empress Theater in Vallejo, Club Fox in Redwood City, Biscuits & Blues in San Francisco, The Metro Fountain Blues Festival in San Jose, Apple Blossom Festival in Sebastopol, The Sacramento Heritage Festival, The Jazzfest at Lake Mission Viejo, The Hot Licks festival in Granville, Ohio, and many more.
She was a finalist in 2018 International Songwriters Competition for the song “The River” from “Blind Spot”, and a finalist for the song “Godless Land” in 2020 (co-writer Kid Andersen).
CATHY LEMONS DISCOGRAPHY
The Saloon Recordings/2000
With Tommy Castro, David Maxwell, Rusty Zinn & Johnny Ace on Bass.
In 2000 when it was released, "All Music" critic Hal Horowitz hailed the album as "the finest debut from a female singer this year." Six time Blues Music Award winner Tommy Castro plays guitar on two tracks, another BMA award winner Rusty Zinn plays on two, and Grammy award winning guitarist Steve Freund rounds out the rest of the fourteen cuts, plus David Maxwell plays some brilliant keys. Chicago blues gems plus originals with fabulous singing from Cathy Lemons.
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2009 Cathy Lemons & Johnny Ace. Top 10 on XM Sirius for 8 weeks. 12 tracks.
Vizztone/2010
With Tommy Castro, Paul Oscher, Ron Thompson, Kid Andersen, David Maxwell.
Cathy Lemons and bassist Johnny Ace wrote ten of the twelve cuts on this album which topped the XM Sirius "BB King Bluesville" charts for weeks after its release.
Critics loved it and called Cathy "the finest light-skinned female Blues vocalist in the U.S" while Ace was compared to Larry Taylor of Canned Heat. From funk to low down delta grooves to Chicago styled shuffles this is a great, innovative album with superb musicianship and a forward written by Tommy Castro.
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U.K. Top 10 2013. Downbeat’s Winner’s Pick 2014.
Vizztone.
With Kid Andersen, Volker Strifler, Stevie Gurr, Doug James
Cathy Lemons 3rd album released on Vizztone, April 2014 with co-producer Stevie Gurr (also on guitar). Kid Andersen engineered and co-produced the album at award winning Greaseland Studios. Highlights are Cathy Lemons’ hypnotic and stunning originals which predominate. The album received great reviews from Downbeat (in 2014 “Winner’s Pick”) Blues Music Magazine, Blues Blast, Blues Bytes,
Tonemonkey, and many more and is considered to be her best solo effort. The album also made UK’s “Top 10 Blues Chart.” Guests include sax man Doug James (of Jimmie Vaughan and Roomful of Blues) and the brilliant Volker Strifler on guitar.
This product is a physical CD, packaged as a digipak.. The price of this item includes the cost of shipping.
"A burnished, scintillating disc and certainly one of the finest debuts from a contemporary female blues singer this year."
- HAL HOROWITZ, Blues Revue
"A wonderful, beautiful sonic film that bends the boundaries of genre description."
- JOHNNY FULLTIME, Fulltime Blues
Once you hear her, you will be a fan for life. This is music with a timeless quality that will have all the hitting power twenty years down the road that is does today."
- BILL WILSON, Reflections In Blue
WHAT THE CRITICS SAY ABOUT CATHY LEMONS
"After all, Cathy is the finest light skinned female Blues vocalist in the U.S.!"
- ANDY "BLUESBOY" GRIGG, Real Blues, August 2010
"She's lived a hard life, and the singing on her first solo album in many years lends credence to the typically suspect supposition that misfortune is a prerequisite for creating superior blues"
- FRANK JOHN-HADLEY, Downbeat Magazine, July 2014
"Lemons belongs on the roster of great Lone Star State singers!"
- GRANT BRITT, Blues Music Magazine, August 2014
VIDEO
Black Crow by Cathy Lemons (Official Video)
Cathy Lemons performing live at Slim's in 2013.