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Wed, Jul 24, 2024

9:00 PM 11:00 PM

Sheryl Youngblood Band Hosting Blues, R&B, Soul, And Reggae Jam Session

Sheryl Youngblood, a Chicago Blues Hall of Fame inductee, envelops audiences with the rich tapestry of Gospel, R&B, and Blues in her ballads. Her soul-stirring performances transcend genres, captivating listeners with a blend of heartfelt melodies and high-energy rock. From her roots in a musically talented family to sharing the stage with icons like Jennifer Hudson and Buddy Guy, Sheryl’s musical odyssey is a testament to her exceptional talent and unwavering commitment to music. As a versatile artist – vocalist, drummer, songwriter, and bandleader – she continues to enthrall global audiences with her soulful renditions and passionate dedication to her craft.

SHERYL YOUNGBLOOD

Singer/ Songwriter/ Musician/Audio Video Technician

Favorite Subjects:

Music and what it means

Motto:

“Do Your Best”; “Nothing beats a Failure but a TRY”;

Growing up in a musically inclined family with her mother having her own female group “The Royal Harmonetts” and being a pianist and vocalist in the church, Sheryl was born into music.

2015 Chicago Blues Hall Of Fame Inductee. Sheryl began singing and playing various instruments in the church, in her teen years Sheryl began her own female group in her church (Mt. Zion Baptist Church) called “Sisters” in which she wrote several of their songs and also wrote songs for the National Baptist State Convention, (unfortunately those songs were not recorded) soon after Sheryl auditioned for and was immediately excepted into the world renowned gospel recording group “Rev. Milton Brunson and the Thompson Community Singers of Chicago” affectionately called “The Tommies” while singing with “The Tommies” the group became a Grammy and Stella Award winning group. During that time Sheryl began playing drums and or singing with various recording artist such as Otis Clay, Artie “BLUES BOY” White, Bobby “Slim” James, “KoKo Taylor and “The KoKo Taylor Blues Foundation”, Nellie “Tiger” Travis, Willie Rogers, 3x Hall of Famer Billy Shelton, 3x Stella Award winner “Darious Brooks”, Hall of Fame Group “The Spaniels, “Raven” Grammy and Emmy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, Yolanda Adams, Daryl Coley, LeAnn Faine, Stormy Weather, she has opened for The Whispers, Buddy Guy, Lakeside, Chante Moore, Reheem De’Vaughn, Kindred The Family Soul, Denise LaSalle, Bobby Rush, John Primer, Maurice John Vaughn and the list goes on in 1995 Sheryl Formed “SAYYES!” band and an all female band Ultimately Blessed a.k.a. “UB”  SAY YES! And UB performed at many different venue’s and put on yearly benefit concerts for SWWR (Batter and abused Women and Children Facility) Cancer; Sickle cell Anemia; Diabetes; Prostate Cancer and more. SAYYES! the band continues to play a variety of music, a variety of venues and for a variety of events SAYYES! has opened for many artist as mentioned on the SAYYES! page of this website www.sayyeslive.com the band continues on, making and playing music. Sheryl has been on Radio, Television, in multiple Blues magazines and in digital media.

Sheryl started her own Blues band Sheryl Youngblood Blues Band in 2013 A Powerful Vocalist; Drummer; Songwriter; Bandleader; Entertainer. works regularly and travels extensively. Performing at such places as The world renown BLUE CHICAGO as a regular artist of the club as well as playing at many venues in and out of the United State with bookings at Buddy Guys Legend, Rosa’s Lounge, House of Blues Main Stage, Crossroads Stage and Foundation Room, Kingston Mines, B.L.U.E.S on Halsted, Taste of Chicago, Taste of East Chicago, Blue Chip Casino, Majestic Star Casino, Hardrock Casino MWI, Muckleshoot Casino Seattle Washington, Ameristar Casino Jackson Mississippi, Country Club Hills Theater , Blues On White Edmonton Canada, Blues Can Calgary Canada, and many more venues, keeping the audience involved and energized with a TRUE show. Sheryl also sings and performs with world renowned group, Mississippi Heat

A/V (Audio/Visual): Attended school of Can TV: Videography; Video recording and editing and is now certified as a videography and Audio technician Working in the music business has afforded Sheryl many opportunities for hands on training and teaching of Audio, Video, lighting, spot lighting and as a full on stagehand with Hands R Us Staging for multiple venues: Country club hills Theater; House of Hope special events to name just a few.

Discography: Stranger In My Bed, Live at House of Blues with her rearrangement of At Last by Etta James and other songs you will love to listen to and soon hear in the Blues and R&B sector.

Sheryl’s mission is to touch everyone possible musically even if only for an hour or two on stage making someone feel better then they did when they arrived to the event!

THANK YOU

POSTED ONJANUARY 21, 2024 BY PETER HURLEY

Featured Interview – Sheryl Youngblood

Cover photo © 2024 Peter Hurley

To hear and see vocalist, drummer and keyboardist Sheryl Youngblood perform is to be dazzled by her talent and uplifted by her soulful treatments of Blues, Gospel and R&B. Up-tempo numbers are body-shaking tent revival-esque, while her sorrowful bluesy numbers walk a redemptive road from sadness towards elation. Many old timers have declared that singing the blues was a way out of the blues. Owing to Sheryl’s vivacious performing style, one is absolutely catapulted from the start.

Upbeat, positive but introspective, recent Delmark Records’ artist Youngblood is currently celebrating her newly released digital single titled “Every Single Day of Your Life” as a tribute to its writer, Jimmy Johnson. Recorded live during the label’s 70th Anniversary All-Star Band gig at Evanston S.P.A.C.E., the song about making every minute count is a perfect representation of her outlook.

“I want to put out the best music possible and I want my music to touch people all over the world. With God’s help it will!!”

Since the single’s launch in December of ‘23, Youngblood is finishing up a new full-length CD with production support from Mississippi Heat’s Pierre Lacocque, scheduled to drop in ’24.

“I’m enjoying being in the studio with great musicians and I‘m excited when I see things come together.”

Youngblood’s childhood in Joliet is steeped in music. Her mother, Gwendolyn Youngblood was the leader of a Gospel group, The Royal Harmonetts at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. For many years, young Sheryl literally sat at her feet while her mama played piano at home. As she grew a little older she picked up the keyboards on her own, playing the church organ or piano while her mother and deacon father joined meetings after services.

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve been in the church. As a child, I paid close attention to all musicians including my mother who was an exceptional vocalist and pianist. The first instrument I remember playing was the piano as I sat with my mother while she instructed me on how to play.”

And since her brother played drums on a kit at home it was only natural that she picked them up too.

“During the course of me playing the organ, I began playing on my brother’s snare drum. I started thinking the organ was more challenging and time consuming. So, a drummer was born!”

Once recruited by the church’s minister of music to sit in on drums when the regular percussionist was a no-show, she continued to flourish in the ensemble as a brilliant time-keeper.

The church experience helped her singing too, as a children’s choir was her first foray into the public arena. At age 13 or 14, she formed her own girl-group Sisters, in which she sang and played organ. Sheryl’s territory expanded in her late teens by trekking to Chicago for gigs with blues artists such as Roy Hytower, Otis Clay, Artie “Blues Boy” White and Bobby “Slim” James. An eventual permanent move resulted in a Grammy Award with Rev. Milton R. Brunson and the Thompson Community Singers and even a stint with Chicago classic doo-woppers, The Spaniels.

This broad range of styles had served Ms. Youngblood well and, with the encouragement of Spaniels’ bassist, Billy Shelton, Sheryl went out on her own to form two all-women groups: Ultimately Blessed and a still thriving rousing funk and r&b show band called SAYYES!

Currently her freshly inked contract with Delmark Records has opened up more possibilities for this gifted and seasoned and artist.

“Having a record label contract is exciting, helpful and a blessing. Things happen at the time they are supposed to,” Ms. Youngblood enthused in a recent conversation.

As positive as this experience has been, Sheryl did approach the prospect with some trepidation.

“I had always been fearful of signing with a record company because of all the horror stories I had heard. Now, I know a little more and I am grateful to God that I waited until I was comfortable. For me, a record label can help take some things off my plate because I work a lot. Most musicians love their craft but the other stuff that goes along with it can be challenging: promotion, distribution, marketing, and selling.”

“Many parts of the business can be taxing. I feel that partnering with Delmark can only help! Julia Miller and Elbio Barilari (CEO and Artistic Director respectively) have been great to work with because I get to be creative and my thoughts are important to them. I am so grateful they took a chance on me.”

Monetary resources are a struggle in the life of most musical artists and Sheryl has had her share.

“I’ve been planning a CD for some time, now; I have lots of lyrics in my notebooks that I really would love to shape with recording. My problem has been cash, money, dinero – the lack thereof.”

“I’m a musician and I work a lot but my earnings go toward my living expenses. To record, money is needed to pay for musicians, studio time, mixing mastering and so forth. Lack of it has been a great obstacle in being able to put it all down. I have helped some musicians with their recordings by collaborating on lyrics, singing and playing drums.”

“Though this is my job, I don’t always expect to be paid. But then, I have never felt comfortable to ask any of my fellow musicians to go in the studio with me when I didn’t have the cash to pay them,” she related.

Not all of Youngblood’s recording experiences have been as upbeat.

“In 2008-09 I collaborated with a friend on lyrics, singing lead and background vocals. I drove back and forth out of town to a friend’s house to lay tracks down but when it came time to mix and master them, he never finished it. The music was just left in limbo. All that time spent, and the travel and collaboration were in vain,” she mused ruefully.

Others have been a mix of good and bad.

“Before my new digital single, my real last complete session was around 2010-11 when I recorded the great Etta James song ‘At Last’ (by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren.) I added my special take to the ending of the song, which goes over well with the audience. I wrote the ending for anyone who’s in a relationship because everyone needs to know that communication, compassion, compromise and cooperation are vital keys in a relationship. Re-recording that song was costly, time consuming and the engineer I was working with did not consider my input on these tracks. I didn’t like my vocals and he insisted that we use the scratch vocal. Not being confrontational I just went along with it even after spending lots of money.”

Discussion of Sheryl’s new project brings a change of tone and she focuses on her keen interest in the recording process with a more positive spin.

“I am currently in the studio recording with a band that I sometimes tour with: Mississippi Heat. This experience has been educational, enlightening and enjoyable. I have received a much clearer understanding of the recording process and how it works. Well, how it should work. To get from A-Z is a process. This current studio experience is helping me know how I will approach my next venture.”

She goes on to explain what some of that entails.

“I am, indeed, a songwriter with a catalogue of songs waiting to be recorded! Yes, I have collaborated with others as previously mentioned. I’m really good with performing originals especially when the audience is receptive. I remember doing an impromptu original song when the audience started screaming “That’s a Grammy song!” right there at the Grammy Awards! I also love performing standards that people know and can get into, but let’s keep it real: there is nothing like people jamming to one’s own music and lyrics!”

On the theme of her current CD, Youngblood’s emphasis on deep personal expression characterizes her m.o.

“My vision for my next CD is to be so memorable, that it goes down in history. My theme is “It’s about me!” she exclaims. “I don’t have a working title, yet, though I do have some ideas in mind not ready to share. I want the new group of songs to communicate my compassion, my struggles, my vision and my life.”

When further asked to describe her musical path and assorted inspirations, Sheryl reflects back.

“Of course, singing came first, because any child growing up in the church started singing by belting out those hymns and then getting in the children’s choir,”

“Listening to my mom sing intimidated me because her vocals were so exceptional. I would just sing kind of low. She was my biggest influence. Gosh, if you had only heard her voice! After my mother comes Pastor Isaac Singleton Sr. in terms of influence. From there, Michael Jackson, Prince, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, Patty LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Minnie Riperton, Ella Fitzgerald were impactful, and the list goes on and on and on and on! I have learned something from each and every one of these vocalists. ”

“My father, my brothers and sister are my strongest other-than-musical influences. Being the baby of the family, I have learned something from each and every one of them, whether it be how to stand up straight, how to be hard, how to be soft, how to speak, how to listen—each one of them has contributed greatly to my being who I am.”

Youngblood doesn’t use the word ‘heroes,‘ per say.

“I like a lot of the blues artist like, of course, Koko Taylor for multiple reasons: she was a female band leader, she wrote a good number of her own songs and she was one of the very few female vocalists that the guys would call on to perform with them.”

“BB King, Buddy Guy, Tyrone Davis, Bobby Blue Bland, Bobby ‘Slim’ James, Bobby Rush, Johnny Taylor, Artie ‘Blues Boy’ White, Otis Clay, Denise LaSalle, Big Time Sarah and Sister Rosetta Tharpe are a few others.”

Youngblood’s enthusiasm is infectious and moves her to dance when in front of a driving band.

“What I do on stage comes from the heart — it’s not rehearsed and not made up. ”

“It’s impromptu,” she says adamantly.

“Some things I do on stage I just do. And when I get the audience’s response, I keep it in my show. For example, when I started drumming on the mic stand, the response was so overwhelming it’s now a part of my performance. My stage craft comes from the audience!”

“When the sound mix on stage is on point, the band is on fire, tight, grooving and jelling off of each other and it’s thunderous, the band vibes are great, the audience is receptive, and participating and we are all having a GRRRRReat time….!! Those are my best moments on stage.”

Youngblood’s talents go beyond her musical and vocal expertise as she is also a powerful band leader.

“I have an idea of how I want a band to look and sound. Having that idea, I set out to pull together musicians with that in mind. Being a female band leader came with a lot of push-back from some musicians and, because of it, I made it my business to stick and stay. Leading a band is not easy. Those who think it is have never done it. To quote Forrest Gump: ‘That’s all I have to say about that!!’ ‘’

Keeping it real and down to earth is Sheryl Youngblood’s stock-in-trade and her propensity for exuding positive vibes on and off the stage is her calling card. Saying YES has put Sheryl’s hard-earned career on the rise. And she is destined for many more YES moments!

“With God’s help they’ll come,” she affirms.

“As long as we continue to do what we do and love what we do, the Blues and all other styles of music will live on healthy and strong.“

Visit Sheryl’s website at https://sherylyoungbloodband.com/