At the end of January 2009, I wrote an article for GBMNews, on singer, recording artist, Ms. Bettye LaVette. I was so moved by her two huge performances. The first on the "Kennedy Center Honors" and then Obama Inaugural:



 

"this great lady of soul took the stage and in the opposite direction entering onto the stage was Superstar Rock and Pop singer, Jon Bon Jovi. Ms. LaVette didn't miss a beat as she roared, "I was born by a river…" The first line of the Sam Cooke classic, "A Chance Is Gonna Come". Jon Bon Jovi looked honored to share the stage with this diva. But who is she? No, it wasn't Ms. Etta James. Not Ms. Tina Turner, No, not Denise LaSalle or any other blues and soul female singer. It's like Ms. Bettye LaVette was being re-discovered by a totally new generation".
After writing the article I thought that I would reach out to Ms. LaVette's "people", her management, perhaps I would be granted the honor of interviewing her. It was a shot in the dark, but who knows. Well, to be delight and surprise, I received an email stating that I could, in fact, interview the R&B legend, Ms. Bettye LaVette. I wasn't sure what I should ask. I'm sure she's been asked every question in the book and this information could be found on the internet. The prior evening, I went to bed early, as I wanted my mind to be clear. Another dream was about to come true.
THE INTERVIEW
John: You performed at President Obama's "Inauguration celebration? You sang with Jon Bon Jovi, "A Change Is Gonna Come" what were you feeling? Bettye: Oh gosh, John, I felt many things on many levels. I was standing where Martin Luther King stood, at the foot of Abraham Lincoln, being seen by the biggest audience that has ever seen me in my entire 47 year struggle (as a recording artist), singing for the first black President (laughing at the wonderful memory of that moment). John: Just a month earlier in December 2008, you were performing at the "Kennedy Center Honors", after you sang, in honor of the rock group, "The Who", you received a standing ovation, some were moved to tears, even diva Ms. Barbra Streisand was moved by your performance. Could you feel the impact of your performance? Bettye: (laughing as she reflected) There was a dinner after the performances, Roger (from "the Who") came over and got down on his knee by my chair and told me that he was moved and how he appreciated the performance, then Peter (from "the Who") came over and said, "You made me weep".
John: It's been said that you did not sing in church like many black artist, how did you learn to sing the way you do? Bettye: Well my parents sold corn-liquor during segregation and when you came home from work, you couldn't drop by the neighborhood bar because you were black , you would come by my house. Most people had living rooms with sofas, and the larger living rooms (with a sofa) also had several little tables and a juke box. The juke box played all the time and we had all the latest recordings, and my mother always sang around the house. She (her mother) was a great fan of country western music, there were country western tunes on the box, as well as gospel and the current music of the day. Rhythm and blues and blues tunes as well. So I'm sure I probably heard the music from the womb because the juke box was there before I came. My mother said I always sang and talked since it was a short period when I couldn't talk. (I could tell that she was smiling as she told me about this precious memory.) John: As a child, who did you look up to, vocally? Bettye: The brief time that I was a teenager, I would say between 12 and when my first record came out at 16, I liked all the people of the day, I didn't think if terms of being a singer, or singing as my dream, I didn't have any dreams as many black kids didn't back then and don't now. I was pretty happy but I didn't have any aspirations and certainly I'd never met anyone who sang, or who were on any or the records, because my parents didn't go to night clubs, they were the night club. So I didn't know any people who did this and the thought of me doing this, wasn't even a thought. When I first started singing Etta James was probably the hottest Rhythm and Blues singer and I wasn't too big on the blues singers, in 1962 when Motown was starting out and I was starting out, we thought that Rhythm and Blues was like cotton pickers. (We both laughed at the innocence of the day) So Ruth Brown and Etta James were the first women that I heard that didn't sound girlie. I also learned a lot by watching movies. My favorites are old black and white movies.
John: Jim Lewis, your manager, was instrumental in your musical growth, if you had to pick one important thing that he taught you, what would that be? Bettye: He was instrumental in the growth period. I don't think that I was any good when I met him, he made me good in a lot of things. John: If your life was made into a movie, who would you like to play you? Bettye: Me. (We both screamed with laughter) We would have to do what the old movies stars use to do, put Vaseline on the (movie) lens. John: You are considered a blues singer, will you record a complete jazz CD? Bettye: (Ms. Bettye politely corrected me) I'm a Rhythm & Blues singer. (She explained briefly that Tina Turner showed the world that Rhythm & Blues singers can sing a different style of singing and still be a R&B singer.) John: You are a mother, grandmother and wife, I wondered, does your daughter and grandson have your musical talent? Bettye: I'm the only person that we know of, now or before now. We may have some young rappers, I don't know. We (her family) have only had gangsters and church people. (laughing)
John: Do you have any new music coming out? Bettye: We are going into the studio in the next few weeks, they usually tell me when I can start talking about it, and I haven't been told when. John: It appears that finally that the USA is embracing you, your talent and you are attaching a new audience. Do you find this statement to be true? Bettye: Absolutely. Well I have all the things I need now. I think people think that singers burst out from somewhere because they're so talented. Nobody gets you all over at the world at the same time or the same day, its very hard and its taken 47 years to collect them 12 at a time. But now I have a very good record company, I have a very good booking agency. So I'm able to be many places at the same time. Both of these 2 events I did, especially the second one. (She ended this thought stating that now she has the right stuff behind her, that now she will get the right kind of universal exposure and support). John: Will you release a greatest hits, with all of your music? Bettye: Oh, I don't know. I've been with so many companies. John: Do you find that you are still introducing yourself, as a performer? Bettye: Yes, I do because the people that we've just collected have only seen me sing two songs. Now people are looking for me more, so certainly we want something new to add to this and that will cause my record company to be able to kick in with a new higher full bio and a lot of publicity.
John: Before a performance, before you hit the stage, how do you prepare? Bettye: Being real, real broke kind of prepares you for almost any gig. I don't go through a lot of things, I sip on champagne, its very difficult for me to eat. But when I go on stage, I step into another state (of mind), anything that was bothering me or hurting before disappears. John: What male singer would you like to work with? Bettye: They're all dead. (I asked again, not sure I heard Ms. Bettye correct and she repeated it but then she thought about it for a second and continued her thought.) I would like to sing with George Jones, but I don't know if he's still working. Willie Nelson is another. Other than that, they're all dead. John: What female singer would you like to work with? Bettye: I'm in a odd place. (musically) The young people are too young and my contemporaries are tired and they don't seem like they want to sing. And they haven't asked to sing with me all this time, so I'm not sure I would want to sing with them anyway. John: What's your favorite color? Bettye: Black John: What word do you love? Bettye: (she paused for a second, I laughed thinking that I may have surprised her with a question, but she explained that she didn't have one answer, as when you get older, what is important changes. And I couldn't agree more. She ended this answer with: "I love food, men, music, it doesn't get arrowed down to one thing".
John: Which word do you hate? Bettye: Can't, if, but, almost and maybe. (Ms. Bettye had 5 words, not one) John: You are considered a legend, what would you like your legendary to be? Bettye: That I worked really hard, just as hard for $50.00 as for $50,000.00, and that's what I'd want to tell young people. John: If you had to pick one, what is your favorite song, that you've recorded? Bettye: The one that everyone likes most. The fact that I recorded them proves that I like them all. Since I chose my tunes I don't chose them and say I will do this one since its my third favorite. I like them all. But for the moment, if you like them, I can like the one that you like most. John: Your song, "Talking Old Soldier", the emotion on your video is excellent! It's like a short movie. Have you considered acting? Bettye: No, people think that I can act, because I'm so animated and because I can be so dramatic. I'm not acting like I'm animated and I'm not acting like I'm dramatic, its really the way I'm feeling at the time. I don't know if I'd be a good actress because I don't know if I could feel anyway you (the director) tell me to feel.
John: During your down time, how do you relax? Bettye: I love politics. I'm in the heat of the first 100 days right now! John: You wrote, the song, "Let Me Down Easy", was that written from a personal experience? Bettye: A couple of experiences. At 17 you could always find me on the downside of a romance anytime. (She gave me a little on the background of the song, young innocent love at 17. I believe she and Dee Dee Ford wrote this song.) John: You've been married 3 times right? I thought maybe this is the reason that you sing the blues. Bettye: No, men love me. If it had not been for men I would not have been able to hold on for 47 years, look this good, be this strong. (She always remained friendly with her ex-husbands.) Men have always been good to me. No man has ever left me, they have always understood why I was leaving. I can call any man that I've been with and say, "Come and get me or send me some money so I can leave". (She's indeed a classy lady, who never burns a bridge behind her.) John: To get your concerts dates, where would your fans find them? Bettye: Go to my website: Bettye Lavette.Com and click on tours. Also for tours and info: Rose Bud US.Com John: What would your fans be surprised to know about you? Bettye: Probably that my grandson and I are best friends.
Well readers this is the end of the interview with this wonderful, beautiful lady. GBMNews and I wish Ms. LaVette continued success. This is her turn now. For those who haven't heard her music, treat yourself run out, purchase a copy.
2/13/2009	SMU  McFarlin Auditorium  - Dallas, TX
2/14/2009	Holland Performing Arts Center - Omaha, NE
3/5/2009	The Ark - Ann Arbor, MI
3/6/2009	The Bathurst Theatre - Toronto, ON
3/8/2009	Joe's Pub - New York, NY
5/16/2009	Bridgestone Music Festival -  Sao Paulo, BRAZIL
9/25/2009	The Sheldon Concert Hall - St. Louis, MO

Click for details of Bettye LaVette Gigs & Tour dates You read it at GBMNews.com