Blues-ish albums by non-blues artists

July 17, 2024 10:53 PM

I enjoy Cyndi Lauper’s Memphis Blues, and Pat Benatar’s True Love. What other performers have made albums like these? Thanks so much!
posted by Calvin and the Duplicators to Media & Arts (12 answers total)

Hugh Laurie has released two blues albums: Let Them Talk and Didn't It Rain.
posted by purplesludge at 1:22 AM on July 18 [2 favorites]

Still waiting for the world to discover Maria McKee
posted by superelastic at 3:51 AM on July 18 [2 favorites]

Huey Lewis and the News released Four Chords and Several Years Ago. It is outstanding.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:57 AM on July 18

Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive
posted by falsedmitri at 6:39 AM on July 18 [2 favorites]

Almost Blue by Elvis Costello
posted by ejs at 7:10 AM on July 18

I think one might say The Typewriter Tape (Janis Joplin with Jorma Kaukonen) is a pure blues album by an artist more associated with rock, albeit blues-tinged? Maybe this is a stretch.
posted by less-of-course at 7:46 AM on July 18

Cat Power did a couple of albums with some A-list session players from Memphis.
posted by credulous at 9:17 AM on July 18

Steve Miller, born 2b blue

RY Cooder and Ali Farka Touré, talking timbuktu

Howlin Wolf, london sessions. While the wolf is a blues man, this is a different kind of interpretation with a stellar rock lineup in the the studio: charlie watts, eric clapton, steve winwood, ron wood. pay attention to wood's line in wang dang doodle - not straight blues.

Led Zepp 'borrowed' a bunch from the blues masters. e.g. when the levee breaks.

Contemporary artist tedeschi/trucks band is very much blues, r&b, and allman-style. Derek Trucks is the best touring slide player rn. Fight me.
posted by j_curiouser at 12:35 PM on July 18

Joan Osborne of 90s "One of Us" fame is a legit and respected blues performer. Her 2012 album "Bring it On Home" is "a collection of vintage blues and soul covers, and it received a 2013 Grammy Awards nomination for Best Blues Album" [Wikipedia]
posted by TheKevinFlynnEffect at 1:16 PM on July 18 [2 favorites]

Have you listened to Bonnia Raitt? The Nick of Time album was a well-deserved sensation.
posted by theora55 at 2:13 PM on July 18

Plenty of the above suggestions are from artists well known for playing the blues.

I'm not going to do you much better, but maybe these would tick your box?

Dion had doo-wop hits, but I guess blues is what he's done since then. I enjoyed his album "Bronx in Blue".

The album "Mudcrutch" is a bluesier side of Tom Petty, playing with friends from his high-school band.

Blues is a regular part of Los Lobos, but some side projects of theirs go further in. Cesar Rosas made the album "Soul Disguise" and Hidalgo made "Houndog".
posted by polecat at 2:37 PM on July 18

+1 los lobos
posted by j_curiouser at 4:57 PM on July 18