The truth is, if you have enjoyed any Northwest Rhythm & Blues of the 80s then you have probably enjoyed the powerfully soulful voice of Valerie Rosa. Rosa’s solid lead vocals are nearly always used as a ‘closer’ in live shows at Bumbershoot, whether with The Seattle Women in R&B, or other group shows.
Rosa’s vocals have graced many recordings and live acts, and at one time she even passed the test to be one of the Raylettes for Ray Charles! The first song she ever sang for money was “Twist & Shoutâ€.Italian, Native Alaskan Aleut and Norwegian heritage combined, Valerie Rosa is a true Northwest native, growing up in Renton, Washington. Her father, Ernie Rosa, was a well-respected jazz pianist, at one time hiring Floyd Standifer to play in his band. At 25, Valerie sang at her dad’s funeral with Standifer, Al Turray, and Joe Farmer (owner of Farmer’s Music).Valerie Rosa was surrounded by music and the music business early on at her birthplace at 18th & Cherry, in Seattle’s Central District. It didn’t take long before her musical gifts became obvious. At the age of four, Rosa made her first recording in the living room of her Auntie Blanche. Singing along with recordings of all the great female voices mainly Sarah, Ella and Billie, Rosa developed incredible natural lung capacity at an early age.Valerie Rosa first began singing professionally at only 13 when, then vocalist for The Ventures, The Frantics, The Wailers etc., Nancy Claire, would pick her up and drive them both to various gigs in the budding Northwest rock & roll scene, which was receiving national attention at the time because of groups like The Wailers, The Kingsmen, Merrilee Rush and others.At Renton High, Rosa played both the flute & oboe in the orchestra and in the concert band both under the direction of Randy Rockhill, and was a standout in the prestigious choir program, directed by Richard Houser. Rosa was the first female player allowed in the jazz band, and the first vocalist ever to be featured with the jazz band. During those early years Valerie Rosa appeared or recorded with Jimmy Hanna & The Dynamics, Nancy Claire & The Champagnes, The Viceroys, and Little Bill Engelhart.In 1967, at only 19, Valerie moved to Los Angles California to pursue her recording career. That same year she signed a recording contract with Capitol Records. Her first recording session took place in Capitol Records studio A, the same studio used by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole, with producer/trombonist Shorty Rogers, live with a 25 piece band! These sessions resulted in Valerie’s first commercially released recording, a 45rpm “Manâ€. This was a dream come true and is just simply not done today.Rosa then went on to perform and record with numerous acts including her own band, The New Kick, a folk group that included one of the New Christy Minstrels. They toured to Hawaii via the William Morris Agency, and in 1970, while fronting her band at the Hilton International Hotel in Las Vegas, Valerie met drummer Carson Michaels, the two fell in love and together pursued their careers in music while raising a family.In 1973, Valerie Rosa moved to New York where she did session work with Hugh McCracken, Alphonse Mouzon, Fran McKendree, Richie Resnicoff and many more. Rosa was also mentored by jazz luminaries, Joe Sample and Red Holloway, building upon her early jazz roots. While in New York, major songwriters Ashford & Simpson gave Valerie a song to record.Returning to the West Coast in late 1975, she landed in San Francisco continuing her recording career with session work, radio jingles, etc., along with fronting her own band in the Bay area. In 1978, she became involved in an original material recording project called “Strut “ which resulted in the critically acclaimed album by the same name. Early in 1980 she returned to her beloved northwest.Valerie Rosa’s involvement in much of Seattle’s R&B of the 80s brought her the respect of many talented Northwest musicians, who were absolutely blown away that she knew practically every song ever written, plus the ‘B’ sides! In addition, Rosa’s outstanding technique and soulful chops brought her to sing with just about everyone that mattered in the Northwest at the time. This included various members of The Holden family, whose father is pictured on the cover of Jackson Street After Hours--the book by Paul deBarros that chronicles Seattle jazz history.Rosa has performed at some of Seattle’s most prestigious nightspots and events including Parker’s Ballroom, Ron’s 5th Avenue, The Backstage, The Triple Door, The Fabulous Rainbow Tavern, The Seattle Music Hall, The Tractor, The Moore Theatre, The Benaroya, plus the Grand Opening celebration for The Experience Music Project, and in “Night Of The Singing Dead†with Conrad Uno and Emily Bishton, and too many Bumbershoots to count.Most recently, Valerie Rosa has sung with Merrilee Rush, and in a gospel group called “The Joy Cathedral†that features Merrilee Rush, Jon Goforth and Billy Mac. In addition, Rosa has appeared on every Seattle Secret Music Showcase held at The Triple Door benefiting The Pike Place Market Clinic & Food Bank.Valerie has got enough great music stories to fill up numerous books and draft several movie scripts. In 2006, Rosa began recording the basic tracks for her debut solo release with the help of her lifetime partner and drummer, Carson Michaels, and many of their dearest, oldest, greatest musician friends in the Northwest. With a little luck and support from her community, the voice that is truly a part of the fabric of the Northwest sound, Valerie Rosa, is hoping to release her debut CD sometime in the next year.