Henrick Vartanian
Cyndi Lauper is in love with Memphis, where she currently lives. She spent several months breathing it in, and let her express it all creatively with the release of “Memphis Blues,” her critically acclaimed (#1 in the U.S.) blues album of cover songs that she recorded with help from blues superstars such as B.B. King and Charlie Musselwhite, and Jonny Lang.
In a favorable review, Rolling Stone magazine, described the joy of listening to Lauper as an “all badass Betty Boop.”
Reported by Mercury News, Lauper explains part of the joy of “Memphis Blues,” is introducing her audience to blues stars they really ought to know, like Allen Toussaint, the 72-year-old legend who provides a soulful piano on Lowell Fulson’s “Shattered Dreams.”
She also goshes over Jonny Lang, the 29-year-old blues wonder who helps provide guitar and vocals on “Crossroads.” She considers Lang’s lack of international superstardom an appalling affront: “It’s stupid. It’s not even right.”
It is because of her respect for the genre of music why she spent months living in Memphis before committing one note to the recording track.
“I wanted to do something that was credible,” Lauper says. “I didn’t want to do a record in Los Angeles. I didn’t want to do a record in New York. I’ve done that. It’s not about that.
It’s time,” she says, “to shine the light on this music.”
Cyndi Lauper tour dates: http://cyndilauper.com/dates