Representing Austin, Texas, the truly phenomenal Ruthie Foster rejoiced in combining gospel, reggae and the blues during one of the few hours of sunshine at the Telluride Blues and Brews festival.
She opened with the Sister Rosetta Tharpe tune, Up Above My Head before throwing a little Lucinda Williams into the mix with Fruits of My Labor.
Joking that “you can pick your company on the back porch,” after Small Town Blues she introduced her band including Samantha Banks on drums and Tanya Richardson on bass.
Continuing to mix her blues with gospel, (“I heard that was alright to do here,”) she played a funky, groovy version of Runaway Soul before moving into the “people’s key” for the spine-tingling Woke Up This Morning.
She wrapped up her set with a little Truth! and led the crowd in a singalong of Hole In My Pocket.
