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Duffy Bishop

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Duffy Bishop
BornRedding, California,United States
GenresElectric blues
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter,costume designer,actor
Years active1970s–present
LabelsVarious

Duffy Bishopis an Americanelectric bluessinger and songwriter. She is in the Cascade Blues Association and Washington Blues Society Halls of Fame, and has been given a Lifetime Achievement Award by both bodies.[1][2]In a career spanning over forty years, Bishop has also been a costume designer and an actress in musical theatre. To date she and her band have released seven albums.[3]She has been the opening act for such artists asRoy Orbison,John Lee Hooker,Lou Rawls,Chicago,Ruth Brown,Bonnie Riatt,andEtta James,among others.[1][2]

She lives inSt. Augustine, Floridaduring the winter, although she and her husband return to their home in thePacific Northwestduring the summer months.[4]

Life and career

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Born inRedding, California,United States, her family relocated toYrekaand later finally settled inWoodland, California.In the third grade at school, Bishop was involved in a staged public performance, and formed her first group three years later. Their collective name of Effervescence did not last long, when she discovered it was also a term for a bubbling laxative. As a teenager, Bishop joined her school friend, Jan Dunton, and performed as a folk singing twosome named duo.image.[4]Her early musical career included a three-year spell with Roadside Attraction, before gaining experience in outfits named Toulouse Lautrec, Coda, and Skeezix.[1]In 1975, she relocated to Los Angeles with her then husband, and sang at both theWhisky a Go Goandthe Troubadour,albeit with other musician's bands. Four years later she moved toSeattle,Washington, and was divorced in 1982.[4]

In 1983, she joined Cool Ray & the Shades, and later worked with the Rhythm Dogs. With the latter she issued two albums,Dogs Run CheapandOn a Journey.[1]After her appearances in the title role in a play about the life ofJanis Joplinin 1991,[4][5]Bishop toured Japan withBig Brother and the Holding Company.She had earlier formed the Duffy Bishop Band in 1985,[6]with Chris Carlson, Keith Lowe, Dave Jette and Henry Cooper.[1]They toured around the world and, in 1994, Bishop and guitarist Carlson married and moved toPortland Oregon.[7]Their debut album forBurnside Distribution,Bottled Odditieswas released the same year.[4]Back To the Bonefollowed in July 1996.[8]The Duffy Bishop Band won a Muddy Award for Best Regional Blues Act in 1994, and two years later for Best Contemporary Blues Act.[1]Fly the Rocket(1999) was their third Burnside release, andAllMusicnoted that "they apply an energy, tightness and focus to their music that serves them well."[9]The Queen's Own Bootlegfollowed in 2002.[4]Around this time Bishop became involved in costume design and worked with the Brass Ring Theater, Skid Row Theater, and Pasadena'sAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts,with the latter seeing her design over a period of four years. In addition, Bishop appeared in musical theater in both San Francisco and Seattle, including the part of Dr. Frankenfurter inThe Rocky Horror Show.[1][2]

Outside of their touring commitments, Bishop and Carlson joinedTeatro ZinZanniin 1998,[10]acircusdinner theatershow which undertook performances in Seattle, San Francisco and across Europe. They were also the headline act at the PortlandWaterfront Blues Festivaland the Winthrop Blues Festival.[11]Bishop took the role of Madame ZinZanni, which had previously been performed byThelma Houston,Joan BaezandAnn Wilson.[2]The core of the Duffy Bishop Band then was Bishop, Carlson, Dover Weinberg (keyboards), Phil Haxton (bass guitar), and Jeff Minnick (drums). This line-up recordedOoh Wee!(2003) for Trillium Records, although Haxton died before the album was released.[4]

Who Is Duffy Bishop And Why Is She Not World Famous?a documentary on her life, was released in 2010.[2]In April 2014, Bishop and her band self-releasedFind Your Way Home.The previous year Bishop and Carlson moved toSt. Augustine, Floridafor warmer weather during the winter months, although they travel back to thePacific Northwestfor three months each June.[4]

Bishop and her band appeared at the 28th Waterfront Blues Festival in 2015,[12][13]having previously performed there in 2012.[14]The present day band consists of Bishop (vocals), Carlson (guitar), Kelly Dunn (drums), Jon Goforth (saxophone), Dean Mueller (bass guitar) and Brad Ulrich (saxophone).[6]

Discography

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Albums

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Year Title Record label
1994 Bottled Oddities Burnside Distribution
1996 Back to the Bone Burnside Distribution
1999 Fly the Rocket Burnside Distribution
2002 The Queen's Own Bootleg Burnside Distribution
2003 Ooh Wee! Trillion Records
2005 Christmas in Latte Land Water & Wine Records
2014 Find Your Way Home CD Baby

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See also

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References

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  1. ^abcdefg"Duffy Bishop | Biography & History".AllMusic.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  2. ^abcde"Duffy Bishop".ReverbNation.com.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  3. ^ab"Marion James | Album Discography".AllMusic.RetrievedJanuary 2,2016.
  4. ^abcdefgh"Welcome to the World of Duffy Bishop | fanflo's Blog".Fanfloblog.wordpress.com.March 7, 2015.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  5. ^Egan, Timothy (December 18, 1991)."Estate Loses Suit to Control Plays on Janis Joplin".The New York Times.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  6. ^abRichard Evans; Oscar DeZoto; Bob Jasper; Blues Boss (January 8, 2015)."Duffy Bishop Band – Seattle – Portland (1985–)".Pnwbands.com.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  7. ^Phalen, Tom (October 14, 1994)."Entertainment & the Arts | Wedding Bells (And Moving Vans) For Duffy Bishop, Chris Carlson".Community.seattletimes.nwsource.com.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  8. ^"Back to the Bone – Duffy Bishop | Credits".AllMusic.July 16, 1996.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  9. ^Bob Gottlieb (June 15, 1999)."Fly the Rocket – Duffy Bishop | Songs, Reviews, Credits".AllMusic.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  10. ^"The Duffy Bishop Band's Biography — Free listening, videos, concerts, stats and pictures at".Last.fm.October 22, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  11. ^"Duffy Bishop Band".Highwayninetynine.com.May 24, 2014.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  12. ^"The Duffy Bishop Band".The Griffin House. August 9, 2015.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  13. ^"28th Annual Waterfront Blues Festival".Cascade Blues Association. June 20, 2014. Archived fromthe originalon March 5, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
  14. ^"Duffy Bishop@Waterfront Blues Festival 2012".YouTube. July 9, 2012.RetrievedFebruary 28,2016.
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