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Returning to her Memphis roots in 1983, blues musician Sandy Carroll spent a year headlining at Lafayette’s Corner, following several years of performing in other parts of the country, Lafayette’s Corner which was situated on historic Beale Street, where Memphis blues was born.
Writing and recording the singles, ‘If You Got It’ and ‘Memphis In May’ in 1984, Sandy partnered with Jim Dickinson, NARA Memphis chapter’s seven-time producer of the year. ‘Memphis In May’ became a regional hit and the unofficial theme song for the Memphis In May annual festivities. Sandy performed at the Memphis In May Festival with the Memphis Horns (and
special guest Rufus Thomas) and also at the Beale Street Music Festival. She sang the national anthem and ‘Memphis In May’ in front of 30,000 people at the Memphis Showboats football game.
A year later, Sandy left for San Francisco to write and record. After three years on the west coast and short stay in the Midwest, she returned home to Memphis.
In 1989, Albert King recorded Sandy’s, ‘If You Got It,’ which appeared on his final studio album, “Red House”.
She then starting writing songs for her own full-length debut album, “Southern Woman,” released in 1993. Following the album’s release, Sandy was invited on a month-long tour of United Kingdom.
Back in the states, Sandy continued promoting “Southern Woman,” performing at various festivals in the South, including Arts in the Park, Eureka Springs Blues Festival and Southern Heritage Festival. She maintained a heavy schedule on Beale Street playing in clubs such as Rum
Boogie, Blues City, Black Diamond, Joyce Cobbs, Kings Palace and Blues Hall.
One of Sandy’s more unique gigs was writing the Memphis Mad Dog football team theme song. ‘Mad Dog Boogie’ was recorded by Southern-fried soul and blues musician Preston Shannon.
In 1997, the great Luther Allison recorded Sandy’s ‘Just As I Am’ and ‘It’s A Blues Thing’ on his final album, “Reckless,” which was nominated for a Grammy. That same year, Sandy recorded and released her “Memphis Rain” CD which was honored by the Memphis & Shelby County Film and Music Commission. She went on to receive a nomination by NARAS’ Memphis chapter for Songwriter of the Year.
Sandy wrapped up the 1990’s with performances and regular appearances at many venues throughout the South, most notably the Center for Southern Folklore, Elvis Presley’s on Beale, and headlined WEVL’s “Blues on the Bluff”. Sandy also appeared on the Home Shopping Network, playing piano for vocalist Becc Lester who was promoting an album.
Beginning the new millennium with concerts, club and festival performances, Sandy appeared at Muscle Shoals Songwriters, Beale St. Caravan National Radio Show at B.B. Kings, W.C. Handy Festival and the (invitation-only) International Songwriters Festival in Orange Beach, Florida, where she opened for Dan Penn and Spooner Oldhan.
In 2001 Sandy’s ’Just As I Am’ was released by Inside Sounds on the compilation CD “Goin’ Down South”. She also recorded for the McCarty-Hite, “Weekend In Memphis” CD and other Memphis area projects.
Also in 2001, Sandy was filmed by Memphis’ PBS station WKNO, along with great songwriters Keith Sykes, Teenie Hodges, Nancy Apple, Duane Jarvis and Delta Joe Sanders, as part of the “In Their Own Voices” concert. Premiered in 2001, the concert has been syndicated nationally on PBS affiliates.
In 2002 Inside Sounds released a CD entitled “Memphis Belles – Past, Present & Future” that features Sandy along with Ruby Wilson, Cybill Shepard, Carla Thomas and other Memphis female artists. Two years later Sandy performed with her Memphis Belle pals at a concert at the Cannon Performing Arts Center in Memphis.
Sandy also appears on 2005 Inside Sounds CD “In The Mood for Memphis – Vol. 2” with a new rendition of ‘Memphis Rain’ .
Sandy has also written with or for releases from Ellis Hooks, Don McMinn, Ana Popovich, Reba Russell, Barbara Blue, Nancy Apple, William Lee Ellis, Becc Lester and RockyAthas.
In January 2006, Sandy’s “Delta Techno” was released by her new label, Ringo Records. Sandy and her husband, the Grammy award winning producer Jim Gaines, wrote and recorded the album which features musicians James Solberg, Rocky Athas, Tim Hinkley and co-writers
William Lee Ellis and Jim Dickinson.
The 13-track “Delta Techno” is a true new musical style – imagine if Sade went to Al Green's church with Bonnie Raitt, then the two headed over to Raifords near Beale Street that night to hang out with Little Feat. Those who “get it” will love it, and those who don't will love it too. The
album has been serviced to blues and adult alternative radio nationwide, drawing rave reviews from DJs and listeners alike.
Sandy Carroll is out on the road promoting “Delta Techno”. Equally at ease in solo or full band settings, Sandy says “the intimacy of a solo show is a quiet nurturing, and the groove of a band is the rockin’ feast. The studio is where the ingredients mix together ....”
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RINGTONE........
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