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TONI LYNN WASHINGTON
SA. 07.07.2001, 21.30

Toni Lynn Washington - vocals
Tim Gearan - guitar
Bruce Bears - organ, piano
Lou Ulrich - bass
Jo de Rose - drums
Scott Aruda - trumpet
Paul Ahlstrand - saxophon

Click here for the website of Toni Lynn Washington..

Toni Lynn Washington may be the greatest Blues and R&B singer you've ever heard.
Toni Lynn Washington is a true gem, a modern link to the giants of R&B, and one of the finest female blues singers anywhere; But Toni Lynn has always followed her heart, putting her family before her career, and the brass ring of fame has often eluded her grasp.

Toni Lynn seemed destined for stardom from an early age. She began singing in the gospel choir in her native Southern Pines, North Carolina. In her early teens Toni's family moved to Boston, where her mother began bringing the underage Toni to perform at the now famous South End Club District. At 18 Toni married a navy man and moved to New Orleans, where she scored the top-50 single "Dear Diary" with famed producer/pianist Edward Frank. This success led to regional fame and high profile road trips, including chitlin' circuit gigs alongside Jackie Wilson and Sam and Dave. Just when her career was getting off the ground, Toni Lynn's husband was transferred to California, where she relocated to start again from scratch.

Arriving in Los Angeles, Toni worked her way back onto the scene, eventually joining a band called The Sound of the Seventy's. They recorded a major label album featuring musicians from Earth Wind and Fire, and appeared on TV's Steve Allen show. Toni stayed with the band for most of the 1970s, but something went wrong between the label and the management company, and the album was never released. Toni eventually moved back to Boston, where she held down a day job while she worked in the local Jazz lounges. In 1989 she met keyboardist/musical director Bruce Bears, who, along with guitarist Tim Gearan and tenor sax player/arranger Paul Ahlstrand were to become the nucleus of the Toni Lynn Washington Band.

Since releasing her first two Tone-Cool CDs - Blues at Midnight (1995) and It's My Turn Now (1998) - Toni Lynn's career has been on the rise again. She has been nominated for numerous honors including W.C. Handy and NAIRD Awards for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year and Soul/Blues Album of the Year. She has performed at prestigious festivals and clubs around the United States and Europe, and her fan base has been growing steadily.

Toni Lynn's new CD Good Things (February 2000) - represents a dynamic step forward. With the help of veteran producer Bobby B. Keyes, Toni Lynn combines her stunning vocal talents and stylistic sensibilities with those of her versatile band to create a unique sound that combines elements of classic R&B with contemporary funk, roots, soul blues and jazz. Good Things features a number of original compositions from Toni and her band members, and also pays homage to some of her favorite artists who died during the past year: Johnny Adams ("Eye to Eye"), Joe Williams ("All Right, Okay, You Win"), and her former co-writer Edward Frank ("Satisfaction").

Toni Lynn Washington always makes the kind of impression that lasts long after the final notes fade. She has been blessed with the precious and seemingly rare talent of melding songs to fit her exquisite, expressive and mature vocal style, delivering soul-stirring performances each and every time.

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