Four-time Blues Music Award-winning songwriter, saxophonist, singer and guitarist Vanessa Collier shares “Take Me Back”

Vanessa Collier – the 12-time Blues Music Award nominee (including this year’s BB King Entertainer of the Year), four-time winner, including a monumental Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year, and award-winning songwriter with recognition from the John Lennon Songwriting Competition and the International Songwriting Competition – today released “Take Me Back,” the first single from her sixth album, Do It My Own Way, out September 13 via Phenix Fire Records. Her previous studio album, Heart On The Line, spent nine weeks in the Top 15 on the Billboard Blues Album chart, and the songwriter/bandleader made her Chicago Blues Festival debut this year in front of tens of thousands.

Today she released the single “Take Me Back,” a minor-key Americana/noir single. At first she seems to be singing about wanting to be taken back by an ex-lover, but it’s just a feint. She wants to go back to a time before she knew him.

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgR7Vs0QDXw

Three of her biggest influences are James Brown, Bonnie Raitt and the Wood Brothers, and the impression they left on her can be clearly heard in the three singles.

Coming soon is the anthemic third single from the new album, “Do It My Own Way,” which artfully tackles the sexism she has encountered in the music industry. Her second single, “Wild As a Rainstorm,” sees her delve deep into soul territory, offering advice to ignore the naysayers and “be a tapestry of dreams.” The groove and horns would make Willie Mitchell proud.
Collier takes on several roles: he writes the songs, is producer, arranges the horns and all instrumental and vocal parts, plays acoustic and electric guitar and alto, soprano and tenor saxophones, and sings the lead and background vocals.

Blues Blast Mag said, “Vanessa is an important part of the future of the blues.” Born in Texas, raised in Maryland, started her career in Philadelphia and now lives in South Carolina, Collier grew up listening to an eclectic variety of music. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, she joined blues legend Joe Louis Walker’s band, went solo at his suggestion and became a remarkable artist “whose rise to the top was nothing short of meteoric” (Making a Scene).

Collier is booked by Concerted Efforts, home of Rhiannon Giddens, Kaia Kater, Kyshona and others.

Vanessa Collier tour dates

June 28 – Winston, OR – Riverbend Live
July 12 – Portsmouth, NH – Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club
July 13 – Rockland, ME – North Atlantic Blues Festival
July 19 – Megeve, France – Megeve Blues Festival
July 27 – Pittsburgh, PA – Pittsburgh Blues & Roots Festival
July 29 – Reno, NV – Artown
1st and 2nd August – Notodden, Norway – Notodden Blues Festival
3 August – Haapsalu, Estonia – Augustibluus
August 9 – Athens, NY – Athens Summer Concert Series
August 10 – Duluth, MN – Bayfront Festival Park
August 16 – Edmonton, AB – Edmonton Blues Festival
August 18 – Thornton, NH – White Mountain Boogie ‘N Blues Festival
August 24 – Fall River, MA – Take Me to the River
September 6 – Bethlehem, PA – Music Festival Café
September 7 – Phoenixville, PA – Phoenixville Blues Festival
September 8 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head on stage
September 9-10 – Lima, NY – Fanatics Pub
September 11 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
September 13 – Westland, MI – Token Lounge
September 14 – Oaktoberfest – Oak Park, IL
September 15 – Forest Park, IL – Robert’s Westside
October 9 – Washington, DC – The Hamilton
October 10 – Caffe Lena – Saratoga Springs, NY
October 12 – Natick Arts Center – Natick, MA
October 13 – North Haven, CT – Small Batch Cellars
15.-18. October – Syracuse, NY – 443 Social Club & Lounge
October 19 – Hagerstown, MD – Hub City Vinyl
October 20 – Durham, NC – The Blue Note Grill
October 22 – Asheville, NC – The Gray Eagle
October 23 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
October 26 – November 2 – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
November 16 – Bonita Springs – Bonita Performing Arts Center
November 17 – Boca Raton, FL – Boca Blues Festival
November 21 – Richmond, VA – Tin Pan
November 22 – Reading, PA – Reading Blues Fest
December 7 – Lakewood Ranch, FL – Lakewood Ranch Blues Festival
February 15 – Vero Beach Blues Festival – Vero Beach, FL