‘Queen of the Blues’ excited for War Memorial performance
GROSSE POINTE FARMS July 23, 2024 – Get ready for a rockin’ time with your dancing shoes.
“Wear your dancing shoes,” Thornetta Davis said. “I want you to sing with me on the songs you know, and just enjoy the evening.”
On Aug. 7, Detroit’s “Queen of the Blues” will put on a show not to be missed at The War Memorial.
“I’ve been known to be called funky rock and blues,” she said in describing her sound. “We have aspects of all of those different flavors of music coming from Detroit.”
Speaking with The War Memorial a day prior to leaving for Italy to perform as part of the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, Davis said she’s been in Detroit all of her life, singing the blues, rock and funk.
Her appearance comes as part of The War Memorial’s SummerFest concert series. She is an international singer, songwriter, recording artist, and was awarded the Detroit Blues Society’s “Living Lifetime Achievement Award” as well as a star on the Canada South Blues Museum “Walk of Fame.”
In 2015, Davis was crowned “Detroit’s Queen of the Blues” in a ceremony by the Detroit Blues Society, with proclamations from the City of Detroit, County of Wayne and the State of Michigan.
“My mentor, God rest her soul, Ms. Alberta Adams was the original Detroit’s Queen of the Blues,” she said. “She passed away and the Blues Society came to me maybe a year later and said they wanted to crown me the next Queen of the Blues. They had a coronation that made it official. I’ve always loved my city of Detroit and to be able to represent everywhere I go, letting them know that we have blues, jazz, rock and funk music.”
Her recent honors include the 2023 Blues Music Award winner for female soul/blues artist, 2024 Blues Music Award nominee, and the 2022 BMA nominee in contemporary blues female artist and instrumentalist vocals.
She has opened for artists like Bob Seger, B.B. King, Ray Charles, Etta James, KoKo Taylor, Johnny Johnson, Bonnie Raitt and more.
Davis’ career began in 1987, playing top 40 music, soon transitioning to blues and soul tunes. Her first solo album, Sunday Morning Music, was released in 1996.
“That’s when I had to go digging into my mama’s records, because I always thought that blues was for my mama,” she said. “Blues is the roots. If you can play that music, you can play it all.”
Her latest album, the 2016 Honest Woman, won eight Detroit Music Awards.
To register for Davis’ concert, click here.
About The War Memorial
The War Memorial, located on the shores of Lake St. Clair in Grosse Pointe Farms is an experiential space open to everyone. Celebrating 75 years as a nonprofit organization in 2024, The War Memorial serves as a patriotic, cultural, and community center. Our diverse lineup of innovative programming includes live engagement experiences for adults and children. For 75 years, The War Memorial has celebrated the ideas of American democracy while honoring those who have defended those ideas with tireless effort and personal sacrifice. The War Memorial remains committed to serving the community as a unique, dynamic, and forward-thinking hub for southeast Michigan.
To learn more, please click here.
CONTACT:
Alex Szwarc, The War Memorial
Manager of Communications and Marketing
313.881.7514, aszwarc@warmemorial.org