Decades later, in October 1998, Priscilla Price, the seasoned performer, joined Alberta Adams and Bettye LaVette in a Detroit Blues Society performance to honor her as one of the Women of Detroit Blues. Today, with years of dues and blues behind her, Priscilla's stage presence is rock-solid. As she lays down one steamy blues after another, her charisma puts her in total control; the whole room comes together.
"This is what 1 live to do," she says. "When I'm performing, everything in the world is just set, just perfect." What has changed over the years? "My blues have matured," says the singer. "My voice is stronger now, and I'm better because 1 do something a little new every show."
October 1998 also saw Priscilla appearing in the Roy Roberts Review as part of the Blues on the Bayou festival in Tampa, Fla., where she joined notables Bobby Rush and Bernard Allison. In recent recording projects, Priscilla has provided CD background vocals for Roy Roberts as well as another regular working partner, Chick Willis (The Stoop Down Man).
In the summer of 1998, Priscilla accompanied the Roy Roberts Blues Band on a two-week stint in Paris at Les Meridien Etoile and a three-week tour across northern Italy. "Italy is out of sight," she says. "They do all this screaming and hollering - and they want me back." In the summer of 1999, they will get her back.
Priscilla grew up in Charleston, W Va. Living over a storefront church, she was exposed early on to the choir's music and dropped in on rehearsals. Noting her avid interest, the organist taught her the fundamentals of singing and how to stay in key. When she was 12, she sang in a talent contest and knew from then on that she was meant to perform. At her first gig a short time later, the under-age vocalist had to sneak on and off the bandstand and disappear between sets. Nancy Wilson was (and still is) her favorite singer. Priscilla’s other musical influences were Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Ruth Brown.
Graduating from high school at 15, Priscilla and a girlfriend moved to Newark, N.J., just across the Hudson from the bright lights of the Big Apple. After working a few Newark clubs, she relocated to Brooklyn. In short order, the fledgling singer got to the Brooklyn Apollo Theater, where she met up with Leo Price as well as his brother, Lloyd, Millie Jackson and blues legend Ruth Brown. Surrounded by experienced performers who helped her develop her abundant talent, the newcomer was soon appearing on the same ticket with Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson and Patti LaBelle. Or she was on the road with the bands of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke and Sam & Dave - and meeting royalty and heads of state.
"It all happened so fast," says Priscilla. After a whirlwind of professional growth and success, the private part of her life caught up. When she suddenly found herself married, with two sons, and living in Detroit, she took a break from performing full-time to raise her boys. As a part-time singer, she did appear on the same ticket with Danny Blue and the High-Style Band, Little Milton and Bobby Blue Bland.
Priscilla's first single, in 1973, was a re-release of "Funny." Picked up by BASF, it went to No. 17 on Billboard's top 30 R&B chart. I'm Not for Sale is the title of Priscilla's latest CD in 1997. Produced by Roy Roberts for King Snake/Rockhouse Records, it was reviewed in Living Blues magazine by Peter R. Aschoff. "Price's vocals combine gospel roots with pop sensibilities," he writes. "Adding variety is' Make Me or Break Me,’ a smoldering slow blues that requires depth over power and shows Price's vocal skills to best advantage.... I'm Not for Sale is Priscilla Price's first major recording project in quite a while, and it was worth the wait."
"This is what 1 live to do," she says. "When I'm performing, everything in the world is just set, just perfect." What has changed over the years? "My blues have matured," says the singer. "My voice is stronger now, and I'm better because 1 do something a little new every show."
October 1998 also saw Priscilla appearing in the Roy Roberts Review as part of the Blues on the Bayou festival in Tampa, Fla., where she joined notables Bobby Rush and Bernard Allison. In recent recording projects, Priscilla has provided CD background vocals for Roy Roberts as well as another regular working partner, Chick Willis (The Stoop Down Man).
In the summer of 1998, Priscilla accompanied the Roy Roberts Blues Band on a two-week stint in Paris at Les Meridien Etoile and a three-week tour across northern Italy. "Italy is out of sight," she says. "They do all this screaming and hollering - and they want me back." In the summer of 1999, they will get her back.
Priscilla grew up in Charleston, W Va. Living over a storefront church, she was exposed early on to the choir's music and dropped in on rehearsals. Noting her avid interest, the organist taught her the fundamentals of singing and how to stay in key. When she was 12, she sang in a talent contest and knew from then on that she was meant to perform. At her first gig a short time later, the under-age vocalist had to sneak on and off the bandstand and disappear between sets. Nancy Wilson was (and still is) her favorite singer. Priscilla’s other musical influences were Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Ruth Brown.
Graduating from high school at 15, Priscilla and a girlfriend moved to Newark, N.J., just across the Hudson from the bright lights of the Big Apple. After working a few Newark clubs, she relocated to Brooklyn. In short order, the fledgling singer got to the Brooklyn Apollo Theater, where she met up with Leo Price as well as his brother, Lloyd, Millie Jackson and blues legend Ruth Brown. Surrounded by experienced performers who helped her develop her abundant talent, the newcomer was soon appearing on the same ticket with Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson and Patti LaBelle. Or she was on the road with the bands of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke and Sam & Dave - and meeting royalty and heads of state.
"It all happened so fast," says Priscilla. After a whirlwind of professional growth and success, the private part of her life caught up. When she suddenly found herself married, with two sons, and living in Detroit, she took a break from performing full-time to raise her boys. As a part-time singer, she did appear on the same ticket with Danny Blue and the High-Style Band, Little Milton and Bobby Blue Bland.
Priscilla's first single, in 1973, was a re-release of "Funny." Picked up by BASF, it went to No. 17 on Billboard's top 30 R&B chart. I'm Not for Sale is the title of Priscilla's latest CD in 1997. Produced by Roy Roberts for King Snake/Rockhouse Records, it was reviewed in Living Blues magazine by Peter R. Aschoff. "Price's vocals combine gospel roots with pop sensibilities," he writes. "Adding variety is' Make Me or Break Me,’ a smoldering slow blues that requires depth over power and shows Price's vocal skills to best advantage.... I'm Not for Sale is Priscilla Price's first major recording project in quite a while, and it was worth the wait."
Now, the act is polished, the voice is stronger, the delivery is masterful, the experience has served her well. Priscilla has never been more ready - to work her blues magic.