Deborah Coleman is unquestionably, as USA Today notes, "one of blues music's most exciting young talents." Though she has released four studio albums on the Blind Pig label that have firmly established her as one of the leading lights in the blues field, it has been her knockout live performances that have made her one of the hottest commodities on the contemporary scene. Down Beat said, "She sings quite well and she throttles her Telecaster with more musical intelligence and character than most any testosterone-jacked guitar man you can name."

Coleman was born in Portsmouth, Virginia and raised in a music-loving military family that lived in San Diego, San Francisco, Bremerton, Washington, and the Chicago area. With her father playing piano, two brothers on guitar, and a sister who plays guitar and keyboards, Deborah felt natural with an instrument in her hands, picking up guitar at age eight.

At fifteen, she started to perform with a series of rock and R&B bands. She started out as a bass player, but after hearing Jimi Hendrix, switched to lead. As her interest in guitar grew, she began listening to rock groups such as the Yardbirds, Cream, and Led Zeppelin, and followed the roots of their music back to the blues. A pivotal event for Deborah was a concert she saw when she was twenty-one that featured Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker all on the same bill. "I will never forget that show. It started me on a path to my roots."

Today Coleman's accomplished guitar style reflects the influences of Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy, Freddie King, Albert Collins and Larry Carlton. Her vocal inspirations are as often found in the singing of Chrissie Hynde and Patti Smith as in the recordings of Bessie Smith, Janis Joplin, Memphis Minnie, and Alberta Hunter.

Deborah Coleman is an artist who has truly come into her own as a talented writer, emotive singer and a guitar player of unparalleled fire and grace. She will be joined by longtime members Billy Crawford on second guitar, Debra "Nardi" Salyer on bass and newcomer Jason Paul on drums. Says Coleman, "As far back as I can remember I have been captivated by the 'live' performance. For me, it is nothing short of mesmerizing."

http://www.deborahcoleman.com/