Janiva Magness

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CATHARIS AND PERSONAL REDEMPTION THROUGH BLUES AND R&B MUSICDAMN STRAIGHT SHE’S GOT A RIGHT TO SING THE BLUES

Los Angeles based Janiva Magness is one of today’s most talented and recognized blues and roots vocalists. A three-decade darling of the blues genre, Janiva currently resides at the top of the genre. In May 2007, Janiva won her second consecutive Blues Music Award for Contemporary Female Artist of the Year beating out contemporaries Susan Tedeschi, Shemekia Copeland and Marcia Ball.
Janiva is nominated for the 2008 Blues Music Award for the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award.
Billboard writes “Magness carves out a niche by singing the blues with maturity and sophistication." No Depression Magazine says “Janiva Magness slow-burns and romps heart-first...she never injects contrived emotion, never puts a tear in her voice where one doesn’t belong. She simply sings heartbreak, hunger and humor—sings ‘em with equally great chops and feeling—and lets that speak for itself.”
Although her vocals are at times beautiful, this 51 year-old grandmother is best known for her sauciness and the bold, brazen beauty of her recordings and performances. Janiva is known for paying homage to controversial and rule breaking women before her like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith for fearlessly embracing their age, their sexuality, and truth.
Janiva was barely a teenager when she was consumed by the power and expression of rhythm and blues from the radio stations of her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Janiva’s influences include Etta James, Billie Holiday, Elmore James, Robert Johnson, Aretha Franklin, Jackie Wilson, Memphis Minnie & Koko Taylor - some of whom she has since shared stages with and drawn comparisons.
In addition to being an outstanding vocalist, Janiva Magness is a favorite on the North American and European festival circuit. Los Angeles’ NPR affiliate KCRW FM says “…you're gonna get knocked out by what you hear. I recommend you go SEE and HEAR Janiva Magness.” Fellow genre leader Charlie Musselwhite says “Janiva Magness always knocks me out because she has such style and poise on stage and she hits every note she sings just right - perfect every time."
Magness’ vocals and stage presence expanded beyond the clubs, venues and festivals in 2003, when she played the lead character in the west coast edition of the Tony-nominated Broadway production "It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues", which ran at the David Geffen Theater in Los Angeles.
Janiva has provide vocals to Brian Setzer, Jimmy Buffett, the late R.L. Burnside, both former Fabulous Thunderbird guitarists Kid Ramos and Kirk ”Eli” Fletcher, and many others.
Although singing has always been natural for Janiva, her early life’s path was not rosy. Early in life she lost both parents to suicide. Shortly after came 12 foster homes in two years. At 16 Janiva became an emancipated minor with chemical dependencies and a teenage mother putting her baby up for adoption. Turmoil was a daily part of her young life.
How is it today Janiva Magness is one of the most successful and determined blues based songstresses?
At 14 Magness found salvation in the form of a blistering blues guitarist named Otis Rush. On a winter’s night hitchhiking across Minneapolis, she ended up a the Union Bar and paid $2 to get in the door.
She explains “He just blew my mind. He made me feel things I didn’t know what to do with. The music spoke to parts of me that had never been addressed. It opened up some other place in me, like letting oxygen into a sealed crypt for the first time.”
The enlightened teenager started hitting blues shows throughout the Minneapolis/Chicago/Detroit triangle. Johnny Copeland and Albert Collins became favorites as did the early funk and R&B of the thriving local scene including one particular emerging artist who called himself Prince – long before he took the city’s sound nationwide.
As with the beginning of the music itself, Janiva started listening to and singing the blues for catharsis. After discovering she could sing not only for healing but to get paid, she went to work as a backup vocalist working frequently with Sounds of Blackness member Joanne Hollis. Eventually, she landed in the sunnier Phoenix, Arizona and took up a mentor in Bob Tate, Sam Cooke’s legendary and long-time musical director. The first band she assembled in Phoenix was named as the town’s Best Blues Band.
Janiva has not forgotten her troubled past and dedicates time outside her life as a musician. Today, Janiva Magness is an official spokesperson for National Foster Care Month, taking over for producer and artist extraordinaire Pharell. In April 2008, she also traveled to Iraq and Kuwait co-headlining Bluzapalooza, the first-ever blues concert tour to perform for American troops."
Janiva’s Alligator debut What Love Will Do, co-produced by Magness along with Dave Darling (Brian Setzer, Meredith Brooks, Dan Hicks), features 13 powerful songs, each imbued with Magness’ expressive emotional depth. Magness reaches heights only hinted at in her previous recordings, interpreting new material written especially for her and songs from Little Milton, Tina Turner, Bill Withers, Al Green, Candi Staton, Dorothy Moore and Marvin Gaye. Her impassioned singing takes each song from deep within her being and projects it out directly into the heart and soul of her audience, making What Love Will Do essential listening for blues, roots, rock and soul music lovers everywhere.
What defines Janiva Magness is the strength, power and passion of her deeply soulful,emotionally moving music, sung with truth and soul-shaking talent. With What Love Will Do and major touring, and with the stars seemingly all lined up for her, Janiva Magness continues to wring the truth from every note she sings, amazing and delighting both old and new fans all over the world.

www.janivamagness.com , www.alligator.com
For press materials, interview requests, and/or more information on JANIVA MAGNESS, contact MARK LIPKIN at
773-973-7736 x235 or e-mail [email protected]