Biography
"Skyla Burrell's set for L'il Ed was the most incendiary and pulse pounding opening sets I've ever heard."
- Tom Cullen, President Bucks County Blues Society
The Skyla Burrell Blues Band is a full time, hard working traveling blues band. The band averages 200+ shows a year. With co-founder Mark Tomlinson on lead guitar and Skyla Burrell on vocals and lead guitar, the band's live show consists of all original high energy electric blues.
"Burrell and her three cohorts find virtue in professionalism. They deliver unpretentious, self described "Hard Drivin' Blues" in which strength & understatement unite in an easy, fluid balance without sucking up to rock." - Downbeat Magazine
In July of 2004 the band released their debut studio CD, "Working Girl Blues", containing 12 original songs - several of the cuts topping the charts on independent music websites and internet radio stations. "Working Girl Blues" received local, national and international airplay on blues and mainstream radio. The SBBB was a top 25 finalist in the 2004 Blues Idol competition and "Working Girl Blues" was selected by WTMD 93.7 as one of the top 5 blues releases in 2004.
"With a female vocalist whose voice jumps out and grabs you by the blues, The Skyla Burrell blues band is the real deal in a solid package that stays true to the real meaning of their genre."
- St. Croix Music Magazine
In 2005 the SBBB was invited to play the King Biscuit Blues Festival under the Emerging Artist Stage and was a semi-finalist in the 22nd Annual International Blues Challenge. Also in 2005 Mark Tomlinson received an Honorable Mention for his track from the Working Girl Blues CD, "Bad Dream" in the 14th Annual Billboard Songwriting Contest.
"On stage, she's equal parts siren, blues goddess and ringmistress." - The Daily Times - Knoxville
In 2006 the band recorded and toured in Europe, and released their sophomore effort, "Livin' Day to Day" which received local, national and international air play on mainstream and blues radio and was featured on cable television's Rockin' Cookin' Kitchen show as well as being named one of the top 50 blues CD's released worldwide by Delta Art and one of top 10 Blues CD's by WTMD FM. The band played 240 shows in 2006 including The Netherlands, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, New York, Delaware, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina and Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia and secured the #1 Top Booked Band slot on Sonicbids.
"Burrell has a great growly voice sure to get under your skin." - Blues Review Magazine
2007 saw the band keeping up their busy schedule (between 2006 and 2007 playing a total of 465 shows!) and expanding their tour radius to include the Mid West and New England. The band opened up for Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials as well as Tab Benoit in 2007 and in the late summer shot a live DVD with the Digital Cafe Tour in NYC at the Baggott Inn with Sean Carney. In the fall the band went back into the studio to begin work on another all original effort producing 15 tracks.
"Women blues-guitar players such as Bonnie Raitt, and more recently Susan Tedeschi, have paved the way for artists like Skyla. Many women in the blues have great voices and have made their careers singing the blues, but not too many can double it up, slice it, dice it and sacrifice it on the best Fender has to offer like Skyla can."
- Music Monthly Magazine
In 2008 the Skyla Burrell Band signed with Blues Boys & Divas Talent and toured extensively in the South and South-East as well as up and down the East Coast. In July the band released their third CD of all original blues "Tough Luck" This time around the band worked with Todd Glazer promotions and "Tough Luck" was played on over 100 blues shows in the US and debuted on the Roots Music Report at #36 in November 2008.
"The Skyla Burrell band plays electric boogie blues that'll make your spirits soar." - Scan & Plan Extra NY
The Skyla Burrell Band also had the opportunity to play several Blues Festivals in 2008 including The State Street Blues Stroll, The Riverfront Blues Festival, The Frederick Blues Fest, The Winchester Blues House Festival, The Northern Neck Rocktoberfest and the Killer Guitar Thriller '08.
In 2009 the band has continued expanding their touring radius, hitting the road again with Blues Boys & Divas and had the pleasure of opening for 2008 BMA Award winner, Marcia Ball.
Future plans on tap for the band for 2009 include a live CD/DVD as well as another studio release tentatively set for late November, early December.
"One of the most smokin' blues bands in the US" - Digital Cafe Tour
Instrumentation
Skyla Burrell - Lead Vocals & Lead Guitar
Mark Tomlinson - Lead Guitar
Chris Sellman - Bass
Ezell Jones - Drums
Discography
Working Girl Blues - 2004 (12 Original Tracks)
Livin' Day to Day - 2006 (14 Original Tracks)
Tough Luck - 2008 (15 Original Tracks)
Links
| http://www.skylaburrell.com |