Song:I'ma Make It
Album:Tell You What I Know
JJ Thames always had the singing talent. But it was only recently that she was able to concentrate on music. And now she appears at blues festivals worldwide. JJ grew up in Detroit. And though she was exposed to all kinds of music, she showed talent as a blues shouter. But then she gave birth to her first son at age 17 and she moved to Jackson, MS to study business and marketing at Mississippi College. She continued to sing on the side. Then in 2004 she gave birth to her second son who died in 2006 of lymphoma. So JJ moved back to Detroit and started singing in local clubs. A move to New York didn't work out. And then she gave birth to her third son in 2010. She was getting work as a backup singer. But she wanted more so she took her family back to Jackson. She was spotted by producer Grady Champion. He is president of the Malaco Records label DeChamp. He produced JJ's 2014 debut CD Tell You What I Know. She wrote most of the songs on the album with keyboard player Sam Brady. The rest of her band is Celeb Armstrong on guitar, David Hyde on bass and Vince Barranco on drums. Guitarist Eddie Cotton appears on a few tracks. The album did well and JJ is currently on a European tour. I guess she always had that star quality. She just needed an opportunity. JJ's latest CD Raw Sugar was released last year. She does a lot of blues festivals. Here's JJ Thames performing I'ma Make It at the 2015 Bagnols Blues Festival in France.
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