Page 27 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2021

The dark, tiny bar is a special favorite of longtime Austin
blues lovers, and when White took the stage, the chatter in
the room hushed. Guests knew she would deliver a blues song
to touch the soul, this writer among them. Afterwards, White
always mingled with the crowd, casual with conversation and
gracious in receiving compliments. She didn’t have to brag,
because her background is solid, and those with whom she
has toured during her long career are all known significant
blues legends. Her fans know her style and class, and listen
closely when she’s at the microphone. Oscar Ornelas, fellow
Austin musician and advisor to the Austin Blues Society
Board of Directors, reflects, “Miss Lavelle White is a powerful
vocalist who controls the stage at every performance, and her
arrangement skills and phrasing are a masterclass to witness.”
Her latest band members, “The L Men,” include Grammy
Award winner Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff, guitarist George
Rarey, bassist Appa Perry, drummer Paul “Buddha” Mills and
keyboard player Matt Farrell. Since the pandemic started,
White has performed monthly on Antone’s stage, keeping
to social distancing rules, while the show is broadcast live
over the internet, enabling audiences around the world to
purchase tickets to hear her sing. However, a recent hip
surgery and rehabilitation are taking up most of her time
these days. The Austin blues community came together in
April 2021 to hold a benefit concert for White, to help with
her expenses during recovery. It was held on the date she

Photo by Kim Yarbrough
At the age of 65, White released her debut album in
1994 on Antone’s Records, called simply Miss Lavelle, which
was met with considerable acclaim. She had not made a
recording in 30 years. “Jazz & Blues Report hailed it as, ‘one
of the tastiest R&B finds of the year,’ while the Haight Ashbury
Free Press noted it as, ‘one of the strongest and most honest
blues CDs to come through my door.’” Her second album,
3
It Haven’t Been Easy, followed shortly thereafter in 1997,
released by Texas Music Group. And her third album, Into the
Mystic, was released in 2003, again by Antone’s Records.
White has toured across the United States and Europe,
sharing her performances with the world. She even appeared
on Austin City Limits alongside Delbert McClinton, Lyle Lovett
and Lee Roy Parnell in 1997. Her more recent appearances
include Austin’s SXSW Music Festival in 2017 and 2018,
headlining the 2017 Ottawa Blues Festival and, of course, at
her three residencies in Austin.
In addition to Antone’s, White was also a pre-pandemic
regular at Austin’s C-Boy’s Heart & Soul club and the Austin
Blues Society’s monthly jam nights held at the Skylark Lounge. Photo by Kim Yarbrough

Blues Festival Guide 2021 25