Martha Redbone (born 1966) is an American blues and soul singer, who has won awards for her contemporary music. Her music is a mix of rhythm and blues and soul music influences, fused with elements of Native American music.[2]
Martha Redbone | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | New York City |
| Origin | New York City, New York, and Kentucky, United States |
| Genres | Rhythm and Blues, Folk and Soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, composer |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Labels | Dome Records[1] |
| Website | martharedbone |
Early life and education
editMartha spent time with her maternal grandparents in Harlan County.[3] She wrote that she spent much of her childhood in Black Mountain, Kentucky, with her maternal grandmother, who is of Eastern Cherokee and Shawnee ancestry, and her maternal grandfather, whom is of Black and Choctaw ancestry.[3][4] She has never conducted a DNA test, but says she looks like people from the Igbo tribe in Nigeria.[3]
Career
editRedbone became a musician and singer, combining music styles with Black American and Native American roots music.[5] Her stage name, "Redbone", comes from Southern slang for people of black and Indian ancestry.[6] She was mentored by Junie Morrison of the Ohio Players and Parliament Funkadelic where she honed her skills as a professional songwriter and producer. Since first appearing at the 2002 Native American Music Awards, she has earned a reputation as a collaborator, performer, educator, and mentor across native North America and in some cases abroad.[citation needed] In early 2007, Redbone's Skintalk won The 6th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best R&B Album.[7]
Her 2012 work, The Garden of Love – Songs of William Blake, sets Blake's poetry to music that draws from rural influences of Appalachia: English folk, African American, and Native American traditions. She tours nationally with the Martha Redbone Roots Project.[8] The New York Times said her voice holds “both the taut determination of mountain music and the bite of American Indian singing.”[9]
Personal life
editRedbone is married to Aaron Whitby, and the couple has a son.[3]
Discography
edit- Home of the Brave (2001)
- Skintalk (2004)
- Future Street (2006)
- The Garden of Love – Songs of William Blake (2012)
References
edit- ^ "Martha Redbone". Discogs. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
- ^ "Martha Redbone", Soultracks
- ^ a b c d Martin-Brown, Becka (10 November 2019). "'Good Music Is A Celebration': Martha Redbone combines cultures in 'brilliant collision'". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
- ^ Salerno, Heather (9 May 2013). "Singer Martha Redbone's journey bends cultures, genres". USA Today. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ Colson, Nicole S. (21 March 2013). "Choctaw, Cherokee and African-American descent have shaped Martha Redbone". SentinelSource.com. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ Adams, Jim (13 September 2018). "Martha Redbone does it her way". ICT News. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "6th Annual Winners" Archived 2009-05-01 at the Wayback Machine, Independent Music Awards
- ^ "The Martha Redbone Roots Project" Archived 2013-12-07 at the Wayback Machine, August 2013, The Ark (Ann Arbor, MI), accessed 16 June 2014
- ^ "The Martha Redbone Roots Project", Freight & Salvage Coffee House, 2013, accessed 16 June 2014