Texas-based blues vocalist Laura Tate was recently nominated in two categories for the 2021 Independent Blues Awards: “Best Live CD” (For ‘Live From El Paso’) and “Best R&B/Soul Song (For ‘I Need A Man’). Voting ends August 31 with the winners to be announced soon.
LIVE FROM EL PASO CD
Blues-E-News recently did “5 Quick Questions” With the talented singer. Here’s how it went.
BEN: Talk about your two Independent Blues Awards nominations, and what they mean to you?
LT: To receive the nominations of two Independent Blues Awards for Best Live Album Laura Tate Live From El Paso and Best R&B Blues Song, I Need a Man was amazing, wow!! The band members and myself are thrilled and humbled by these nominations. When you work at your craft and your music for many years and then receive this kind of recognition and acknowledgment it makes all the hard work so worthwhile.
BEN: How has living in El Paso changed or influenced your music making?
LT: I was raised in Dallas but have lived and worked in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles. I met and married a wonderful man who lived in El Paso so that’s how I ended up here. It was the best discission I have ever made. The city of El Paso, Texas borders New Mexico and Ciudad Juárez, México. It has a beautiful rich and diverse population and diverse music as well. The music and the iconic cultures of Mariachi, Jazz and Rock’ in Roll have been big influencers. Singers Vikki Carr, Bobby Fuller, Cedric Bixler- Zacala and Khalid to name a few who all hail from El Paso. Whether you call it “Sun City” or “El Chuco,” El Paso is unique to the people who live and visit there. Hiking in El Paso often means near-excellent weather, as the city and the mountains around it get on average 297 days of sun a year. Now that’s inspiration to making music!!! Come visit, all you artists and musicians you might just want to stay!
BEN: What was Laura Tate doing before she began her career in music?
LT: I was always involved in music and theatre as a child. I majored in music and theatre at the University of North Texas. Semester before graduation, I auditioned for national theatre repertory company out of Nashville and got the job. I toured the country performing plays and musicals for three years. That was an education.
I moved to Los Angeles and, to make money, I worked on video and film sets doing craft services. Observing directors the on-site training blossomed into an opportunity to direct music videos, documentaries and TV commercials. I wrote and directed my first documentary, “Held in Trust” narrated by Ossie Davis and Colin Powell, which garnered national acclaim, received the PBS Golden Apple for Education and was inducted into the Smithsonian Institute Film Archives.
After that, I turned back to my roots and began singing with wonderful musicians in Los Angeles and New York. They are the same men and women I work with still today. I find myself commuting to LA from El Paso for performances and recording.
BEN: When do you anticipate releasing new music, and or possibly playing out live?
LT: During this pandemic, my producer and bassist Terry Wilson have been working on a new album and the concept is a jazzy blues sound with a New Orleans flair. I’m very excited about the way it’s going. We’re hopeful that it will have a 2022 spring release and to be playing live very soon!!
BEN: Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
LT: My career has taken many twists and turns yet I always returned to singing and performing. So, my advice to my fellow singers and musicians is not to listen to the prophets of doom!! Keep at your music and be true to yourself!! You just never know who and when you will finally be validated in a very exciting way. Sending love and good wishes to all!!
Socials: http://www.musicbylauratate.com/; https://www.facebook.com/ArtistLauraTate; https://twitter.com/LauraTateMusic; https://www.instagram.com/lauratatemusic/
