Agent: Tom Gold (Worldwide)
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“A rugged, chugging southern soul record… Like Betty Davis or Betty Wright before her, she imbues tracks with shingly, saw-toothed texture, capable of breaking off a high note with a throaty cry or scraping so low and wide that she threatens to put her bass player out of work.” – Billboard
“Bette Smith moved effortlessly across the stage wearing a tight holographic vinyl dress and five-inch-heeled thigh-high boots, strutting like Tina Turner.” – The New York Times
“A stompin’ good time!” – All Things Considered
“A major new voice in soul music… Brooklyn’s Bette Smith possesses a one of a kind voice, deeply drenched in hot soul of the nearly incendiary Southern type. That voice could rock the biggest of stages and move mountains if it had to… Smith is the sort of artist that you’ll find yourself following her whole career.” – popmatters
Critically acclaimed rock & soul singer Bette Smith traces elements of her life-affirming new album “The Good, The Bad & The Bette” to her childhood in Brooklyn, NY. Musically, it connects to the gospel music she heard in church and the soul music on the corners. This injection of soul and gospel into rock & roll powered a breakout in 2017’s “Jetlagger,” which received raves from NPR, American Songwriter, Billboard, MOJO, and a feature in the New York Times. Now, “The Good, The Bad & The Bette” on Ruf Records is garnering equal praise with “All Things Considered” calling it “A stompin’ good time!” and landing on legendary critic Jim DeRogatis’ (“Sound Opinions”) “Best Albums of 2020” list. In 2021, Living Blues and Blues Blast magazines, respectively, nominated Bette and her album “Blues Artist of the Year (Female)” and best “Soul Blues Album.” The past couple years, Bette toured with the Drive-By Truckers and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and performed at the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, Calgary Folk Music Festival and Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. In 2023, Bette will return to Europe with performances in Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Spain.
