Bettye LaVette

Bettye LaVette was born in Michigan and discovered by Johnnie Mae Matthews in 1962. In the following years she brought out several singles. In 1982 her first album appeared.  She finally made her breakthrough at the beginning of the 21st century with her album Souvenirs. She was awarded the W. C. Handy Award in the category Comeback Blues Album of the Yearfor her third album A Woman Like Me. One year later she received the »Blues Critic Award: Best Female Blues Singer«.  She worked with Joe Henry for the first time in 2005 and he produced her album I´ve Got My Own Hell To Raise.  The soul singer not only sees herself as songwriter but also as interpreter, something she proves very powerfully on her most recent album The Scene Of The Crime. 

For the RuhrTriennale 2008 Bettye LaVette is appearing inEverybody´s Cryin´ Mercy.