Traditional Blues

12 MP3 Songs
BLUES: Rhythm & Blues, JAZZ: Swing/Big Band



Details:
TEXAS STATE MUSICIAN NOMINEE

Kelli Grant, the Queen of Swing & her band, the Swing Kings performance is sponsored by the Mid-America Arts Alliance with funding by the National Endowment for the Arts.

With her credentials in R&B and blues growing, this award winning songwriter began writing and focusing on the diverse styles and formats of the blues. A copulation of those styles: Swing Blues, Jump Blues, Rhythm & Blues, Country Blues, Western Swing Blues and the purest form of blues, Kelliâs award winning low down, dirty, nasty, sounding blues, the âBlues to Me!â CD is considered by some to be one of the most comprehensive representatives of the blues ever published.

Nine of the 12 cuts are Kelliâs own, demonstrating her songwriting talents as well as her love for many musical forms.

"Blues to Me!" CD received R&B praise from one of the largest organization in the music industry as a 2004, CANDIDATE for 4 Grammy Nominations:
"Best Contemporary Blues Album"
"Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance"
"Strut My Stuff" & "B-A-D, BAD"
And her patriotic hit, "Stand Up for the U.S.A" - "Song of the Year," proclaimed the unofficial anthem of the 21st Century by Mike Gross, WVOF, Connecticut.

âStand Up for the U.S.A.â was written several years before the obscene act of September 11th, 2001, as a gift for Kelli's father who had served in the Navy aboard the USS Core. Considering 911 to be one of the âbluestâ days in Americaâs history, Kelli felt it was only natural to include it on the âBlues to Me!â CD.
It is respectfully placed at #11 to honor the victims and families of September 11, 2001 â¦we will always remember.

Tagged, the Queen of Swingâ by R&B legend, Carl Perkins all who hear, agree. But it is not as much a title as it is a testament to Kelliâs unique yet awesome signature piano style that âswingsâ in the truest definition of the word.

Publicly proclaimed, an extraordinary entertainer, this Piano Poundin', Bass Kickin', Rhythm Rockin', "Queen of Swing" covers a century of our musical heritage in her original revue, "Swingin' the Blues." To go along with her R&B accolades, Kelli did extensive research in writing her highly acclaimed original revue which is on the Mid-America Arts Alliance touring roster with co-funding by the National Endowment of the Arts. Kelli and her band, âThe Swing Kingsâ carry the audience down a musical highway of Jazz, Blues and Swing from New Orleans to New York City, Chicago to Kansas City and Memphis to Texas. Written and designed by the Queen as a clever and unique way to introduce her recordings, Kelli starts with the âjazzâ of the Roarinâ 20âs, moans the depression blues of the 30âs, âswingâsâ thru the War torn 40âs, âRocksâ the fabulous 50âs and âtwistâ into the 60âs. Most of her shows conclude with her patriotic hit and a salute to the Veterans.

Kelli has headlined and performed with, and at some of the biggest artist and venues throughout the country. Her show has been listed in the Isle of Capri's Blue Book as one of their BEST SHOWS, Entertainment Director, Bossier City, La. She was publicly declared, "an extraordinary entertainer" by Regional Marshall Arts Director.

Kelli received an âHonorable Mentionâ from Billboard in R&B for her own, âThe Way Love Use to Beâ from her CD, âHonky Tonk Rockâ.

Kelli was a Vocalist Nominee, 2004 for the Grammy Board of Directors, Texas Chapter and a Table Top Speaker for the Texas Arts Exchange conference, being considered an authority on the musical formats of "Blues & Swing".

Having been on the Texas Touring Roster since 2001, Kelli has been nominated by the Texas Commission on the Arts to participate in the Mid-Atlantic Arts International touring roster foreign festivals including England and all most of Europe, 2007.