Pinkie Varner featuring
The Morning Wood Blues Band
Pinkie Varner is a California native who's Mother was an Opera singer and we can only guess that's where 'Pinkie's Pipes' hail from. Pinkie started out singing as a child and then as a Mom, then a Grandmother. Once the kids were grown and had moved on, she moved down to the Sacramento area and at the age of forty, started hosting local Blues Jams on Sundays, forming The Morning Wood Blues Band. Who, in 2006, were invited to open for Los Lonely Boys at the Sleep Train Pavilion at Concord. They also opened for Daniel Castro at The Foothills Bikes & Blues Festival in 2006. However, they have been doing bigger and bigger projects and they are being lead in such a forward motion that it's often difficult to keep up with them.
In 2007 she worked with Jerry Martini; sax & founding member of Sly and the Family Stone, Charlie Brechtel; biker Blues Great guitarist, and Tim Murphy; vocals & Country Music 2 time Grammy nominee.
Dubbed by many that know her as 'the wailin' lil' Cajun', Pinkie won the IBC Solo/Duo category here in Sacramento in November 07 with an incredible acoustic Blues show that landed her in Memphis at The International Blues Challenge '08 where she made it to the quarter-finals. While she was there, she was discovered by a local promoter and asked to attend the Cincy Blues Fest in Ohio '09. Returning to California, she was contacted by the people at 'America's Got Talent' and took a detour down to Los Angeles to audition for the Nationally-televised talent competition. It was great!!!! During the journey to Los Angeles, she got a call from BBKings and they asked her to come down and do a show... so she said yes and brought with her none other than the Legendary Deacon Jones (John Lee Hooker's former band leader) and in March, they headlined a show on that great stage in Hollywood. Deacon has moved on with Pinkie into a recording project scheduled for release later this year.
A multi-cancer survivor, Pinkie hosts her own 'Locks of Love' Cancer benefit each year in March and this year, she cut off all of her own hair to donate to the cause. Both Pinkie and the MWB just appeared at the annual BLUESFAIRE Benefit at the Sweetwater in Marin County. They were asked to come back for the second fundraiser show in July '08.
On May 5th, Pinkie performed one song at the Sunny Blue Bland Blues Showcase at The Zokku Lounge downtown Sacramento and was spotted by ‘Oakland Red’ who then contacted KPOOs own Bobby 'Spider' Webb. They asked her to perform at Bobby Webb's California Blues Festival in Golden Gate Park '08 & '09.
Then, on May 7th, the publisher of The Blues Festival Guide called Pinkie and asked her to be his personal guest at the Blues Music Awards in Tunica, Mississippi. She had to decline due to a family emergency in Arkansas. Pinkie made her San Francisco club debut at The Saloon in North Beach June 7th. In September she's also been invited to the Bikes, Blues & BBQ 08 made famous in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Pinkie Varner is gleefully represented by WestEnd Management Owner/Operator; Mary Franklin. She may be contacted at (916) 441-0011 to book Pinkie and the Blues.
Pinkie Varner is on her way up and it's no lie when she sings:
"It's Always Somethin."
