Denise LaSalle made her ECKO RECORDS debut in October 2002 with the hottest record she has had in over a decade. "Still the Queen" offers such powerful tunes as "You Should Have Kept It In The Bedroom," "Unloveable Habits," "Dirty Freaky Man" plus her touching, soul-stirring tune inspired by 9-11-01, "There's no separation." Denise is not just getting older, she's getting better. Time has not diminished her writing skills or her voice.
Denise's career started 34 years ago on Westbound Records producing her first Gold Record, "Trapped by a thing Called Love," followed by "Now Run and Tell That", and "A Mansized Job". All three were number one R&B hits.
In 1976 she moved to ABC Records where she recorded three albums including, "Second Breath", "The Bitch is Bad". and "Under the Influence." In 1979, ABC was sold to MCA Records. For MCA she recorded "Unwrapped" (1979), "I''m So Hot"(1980), and "Guaranteed" (1981).
Joining the Malaco Records family in December 1982, Denise scored bigtime with her first 1983 release "Lady in the Street". Her remake of ZZ Hill's "Downhome Blues" with a sassy rap intro plus "Don't Mess With My Man" sent fams racing to the record shops. Denise was established as a top Female Soul Blues Artist and earned the title "Queen of Soul Blues."
The 15 years spent with Malaco (1982-1997) were filled with many successful albums such as "Right Place Right Time" (Lady in the Street) "Love Talking", "Hitting Where It Hurts", Still Trapped." and "Smoking in Bed." Hit singles included "Drop That Zero", "Don't Mess with My Tu Tu", "Don't Cry No More", "Why Am I Missing You", "I Forgot to Remember". Denise recorded her final Malaco CD in 1997, "Smoking in Bed".
Denise surprised the music world in 1999 with the release of a gospel CD, "God's Got My Back", on Angel in the Midst Records, a label owned by her husband minister James E. Wolfe, Jr. "God's Got My Back" became a number one favorite on radio stations around the country. Yet, the artist was disappointed that she could not find work in the gospel arena. Disillusioned, but still a fighter, Denise returned to do what she knew would be a safety zone: The Blues.
In 2000 she recorded "This Real Woman", a double volume CD with everything to offer. It had blues, country, gospel and pop. The CD proved to be one of the most interesting and colorful albums of her career. From the title cut, plus the naughty, "Lick It Before You Stick It", "Ain't No Need of Getting Down on Clinton", to the 1971 version of "Trapped by a Thing Called Love". Blues, country, gospel or pop, she writes them and sings them all as though she's comfortable in any arena.
In addition to her gold records, Denise has won best R&B Female vocalist, the Jackie award, the Living Blues Critic Award, and the BMI award for number one hit records. She has gained international recognition for her extraordinary talents as a writer, singer and producer.
During her 34 years in music, Denise has toured four continents and many beautiful countries. She cruised the Caribbean on the Ultimate Blues Cruise and the Tom Joyner Cruise. But she says she loves America most of all--touring the U.S. Blues Festivals all summer, working casinos and civic centers as well as night clubs year round.
Denise has worked with some of the biggest names in the business, but says some of her favorite people are B.B., Bobby, Tyrone, Latimore, Willie Clayton, Millie, and Betty. "There are so many nice young great singers coming along today. It's so good to know that our music will always be around," the Queen of Soul Blues says.
Denise has always pushed to keep the blues alive. She founded the National Association for Preservation of Blues (NAPOB) in 1986 to advocate for the Blues on radio that resulted in Blues shows, hours or days on most radio stations today.
Just when everyone was thinking that Denise was ready to retire or slow down and that one of these newcomers would step forward and take her place, Ms. LaSalle teams up with Ecko Records and comes blasting her way back with "Hot Smoking Guns" declaring I'm "Still the Queen". These young girls will just have to wait a little longer because. . . The Queen is back with still another 2005 CD on ECKO Records entitled "Wanted". The first single "Snap, Crackle and Pop" was a witty comeback at Theodis Ealey's "Stand Up In It" and all the other guys who claimed they know exactly how to please a woman. Other hot tunes that are commanding air play around the country are "The Thrill Is On Again", "Wanted Man", and a remake of Barbara Carr's "Bone It Like You Own It".
Yes the Queen is back sitting high on her throne and make no mistake about it . . .
Denise LaSalle is her name!!
