Betty & The BP Ride Blues Band
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Betty & The BP Ride Blues Band

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"Cold Hearted Woman"


REVIEW BY: Mick Rainsford

COLD HEARTED WOMAN

Betty Pride’s career has traversed a wide musical landscape, encompassing jazz, R&B, C&W and gospel – including stints with Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs and The Famous Southern Sisters. But, now her concentration lies with the blues – and what a blues singer she is. “Cold Hearted Woman” is a statement of intent from one of the most talented blues chanteuses it has been my pleasure to hear for some time.

Pride is one tough blues cookie. Just listen to her growl out the lyrics on “That’s Alright”. She takes this Jimmy Rogers classic and turns it into a tough slab of R&B replete with rasping sax, rolling piano and fuzzed out guitar – her mean vocals defying anyone to cross her. You had better believe that Pride is one “Cold Hearted Woman”, her overt sexuality and latent menace giving her the demeanour of the “Fatal Attraction” of the blues – the threatening nature of her vocals in stark contrast to Donald Dean’s beautifully understated fretwork.

“That’s The Way Love Is” is classic horn-fuelled 60’s Memphis Soul – “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” with it’s anguished vocals, churchy organ and baying horns had me thinking of her as a female Don Covay – whilst “Fever” is given lowdown street blues cred as vocals and sax intertwine seamlessly before Pride scats with guitarist Donald Dean.

Pride shows her softer side on a wistful rendition of Bill Withers “The Love That Made Me Laugh”, the sweet soul of Al Bragg’s “Share Your Love With Me” and a deeply soulful workout on Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” – before letting rip on the frantic “Mojo” inspired rocker “Run Away From Me’. The set is closed out with a great version of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me”, which is given a blues sensibility as Pride duets imperiously with R&B great Nappy Brown.

A great singer and a red-hot band. What are you waiting for? Buy It!
(www.bettypridemusic4u.com)
www.cdbaby.com/cd/bettypride
Words 314
Rating 9
Mick Rainsford
- Blues In Brittain Mazine


"Pride Does The Blues Right"


Review by:Winfred Cross

Pride does the blues right
Sounds Music Review


Betty Pride
Cold Hearted Woman
Betty Pride, producer

Blues singers are generally some of the best singers on Earth simply because they’ve lived most of what they sing about. Even if they haven’t they are always convincing enough to make you believe they have.
I don’t know anything about Betty Pride’s life other than she can sing the heck out of the blues. She indeed may be the “Cold Hearted Woman” she sings about - or not. That point is moot. She convinces you she’s a cold hearted woman, as mean as she can be. She’s daring some good-looking man to fall in love with her to find out. She, of course, says don’t and tells you all that she’ll do if you do. But she knows her not so coy challenge will be taken, and that’s what she wants. That’s what I call a singer.
Pride mixes some standards with her own compositions to come up with a tasty mix of blues, R&B and, for some, beach music.
Pride sings in front of a crack backup band that sounds seasoned, but not grizzled.
Pride is her own story. She reinvents these older tunes and dazzles on her own stuff. Of particular interest is Bill Withers’ haunting
“The Love That Made Me Laugh.” This is one of my favorite Withers tunes and Pride’s version is sassy. She tells her lover “I’m giving all I have to give/If you don’t want me/I don’t want to live.”
Pride doesn’t let this party go without sharing. Nappy Brown (“Nighttime Is The Right Time”) drops by on the classic “Stand By Me.” Yeah, it’s been done a zillion times, but good songs are good songs. Brown and Pride do it justice.
Blues fans should add this collection without thinking. Those who are just discovering the blues shouldn’t overlook this, either. “Cold Hearted Woman” she may be, but Pride is certainly a singin’ cold hearted woman in her own right
- The Charlotte Post


Discography

"Cold Hearted Woman",

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Bio

ALL ABOUT BETTY PRIDE

Twenty years ago, Betty Pride spent time as a jazz and R&B singer. For a while she was even a country/western studio backup singer at Arthur Smith Studios. She also served as a member of Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs, and Reflection Sounds Studio as lead R&B singer. Betty sang with many Gospel Groups including “The Famous Southern Sisters”. She did originals such as “I’ve Been Waiting On You Baby” and “This Man I Got” written by musicians who had previously written for Otis Redding and The Isley Brothers. She was offered a recording contract with the Chess Recording Label, but for personal reasons decided not to accept.

She owes her love for music to her father who, during her childhood played blues guitar mostly in Piedmont style. She also learned according to her mother that she is related (albeit distant) to Blind Boy Fuller, one of the most recorded bluesmen in the ’30 known for his versatility, particularly the intricate fingerpicking style of Piedmont Blues.
Now Betty is showing the Blues side of her. She has recently written such songs as “Cold Hearted Woman”, “Run Away From Me, and Email Blues. She is one of the hottest around.

Betty has conducted many teaching classes and sessions regarding the blues genre in settings such as Universities (Italy), Borders Books & Music, Bank of America and many other venues..

Betty and her band has played with and opened and shared billings with artist such as the World-famous, Nappy Brown, Sandra Hall, Leon Russell, Buddy Guy, Booker T & The MG’s, Big Bill Morganfield, Shemika Copeland and many others.

The BP Ride Blues Band is known as one of the best. Betty says, she has well-seasoned members in her band, some of whom have played with Clarence Carter, Marvin Gaye and the great gospel singer Shirley Caesar.

She has a new CD release titled “Cold Hearted Woman” that has gotten great national and international reviews.

Betty and her band have performed at many festivals and have completed a successful ten-city tour in Italy.
Betty and her band are based in Charlotte, NC. USA