MySpace a place for friends

Armed with a penchant for the blues, her guitar, and a laptop, Sadie Blu recorded her first demo CD in her garage in 2007. Prior to that, shyness and self-doubt kept her remarkable talent hidden from others. But as that CD began to circulate in the Pensacola, FL area, so did enthusiasm and appreciation for Sadie’s music and lyrics. The jig was up--she could no longer keep that Blu light under wraps.

With the success of the self-recorded demo CD, Sadie was given the chance to play a live radio broadcast for the University of West Florida and asked to perform at a local July 4th festival. Soon after, she became the mainstay performer at the Mainstreet Café in Milton, FL. She came to the attention of Unity Artist Management, based in Atlanta. This opened new doors, of course, including a coveted appearance at the famous Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA. Sadie also has a live televised performance under her belt, recorded and aired via the local PBS station. Additionally, Sadie performed at the 10th Annual Greater Atlanta Blues and Music Festival during the summer of 2008. Her quick success has understandably garnered her several write-ups in newspapers and magazines, and she has developed a very popular Myspace site. She uses the site to market her songs, which have been sampled by thousands of listeners. She now has 13 original songs under copyright.

Sadie was born in Dothan, AL. When she was nine, her family moved to Columbia, SC, and it was there that she developed her appetite for the blues and rock and roll. At the age of 12, she bought her first guitar—a $300 Ovation hollow-body—with money she saved making and selling jewelry. She started writing songs at 13, but was too shy to share them. Participating in a good, old-fashioned “hootenanny” at an antique store on weekends, though, provided her with opportunity and confidence to begin sharing her style of blues, and to “sharpen her craft” from those seasoned musicians.

While influenced by the likes of Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, Etta James, and Stevie Nicks, this 19-year-old’s music is unmistakably her own and reflects a bluesy style where “old soul” meets “brazenly soulful” lyrics. Add to the mix a voice that can “melt ice” and that belies her age and insecurities. The combined effect is powerful. Not necessarily fire and wind kind of powerful, but powerful like a gentle whisper.