Genre: Country
Website: www.countryversial.com
Biography:
She stimulates, intoxicates, and rocks
around the clock. The first Lady of Country
Soul returns with a new CD full of Torch, Twang
and Bluesy Spirit. Imagine Tina Turner singing
Country music. Now, stretch that image to imagine
a voice that goes beyond this by blending roots,
soul and R&B into a fresh, intuitive and
well-written country music..that is Petrella's
ground-breaking new CD entitled ONE HUNDRED
PROOF WOMAN. In the whole world of Country and
Soul, there are plenty of acts that sell hundreds
of thousand (even millions) of units; but there
is none that blend pure soul with country as
well as Petrella. Dubbed "a true vocal
power house who will lead you to believe that
every song is sung by a completely different
person" by Matt Yeager of the Morning News,
Petrella's style melds hints of Aretha Franklin,
Patsy Cline, Macy Gray and - yes - Tina Turner
into a beautiful, versatile sound all her own.
www.countryversial.com
As the first female African-American country
artist in the US, Petrella has caused a sensation
since the release of her debut disc - COUNTRYVERSIAL
- in 1993. Pioneering a new form of country
flavored with soul, gospel and roots accents,
Petrella landed on the cover of the respected
industry trade publication CASHBOX in 1994,
and has never looked back.
Her single "I Found Somebody" spent
14 weeks on the national Top 100 Country Singles
Chart (peaked #52, two spots above Shania Twain,
and 13 spots above Dolly Parton), followed by
"Blues Stay Away from Me" (peak #68,
with a music video being shown coast to coast
from California to South Carolina). Famed recording
artist/songwriter Brenda Russell even wrote
a tune for Petrella, "When the Night Rolls
In."
She has been nominated for New Female Artist
of the Year, Album of the Year, and Performer
of the Year by a variety of music industry organizations
and publication between 1994-2004 including
Nashville Tracker magazine and the Tennessee
Songwriters Association.
Petrella has six nationally distributed albums
to her credit including COUNTRYVERSIAL (1993),
PAPA DID A RAINDANCE (2001), FIND A CURE (2002),
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (2003) WALK AROUND HEAVEN
(2004), DREAMS OF THE HEARTLAND and the brand
new 100 PROOF WOMAN. She has shared her music
live in front of huge crowds such as the Country
Music Fan Fest held in Pomona, California; been
showcased on Ernest Tubb's Midnight Jamboree
in Nashville, Tennessee; and appeared in more
intimate settings like college cultural centers
and auditoriums. She has shared stages with
Gladys Knight, Tracy Lawrence, and others.
In 2003, she received the Golden Microphone
Award at the Airplay International King Eagle
Awards. In 2004, Petrella performed live at
the King Eagle Awards show, where she received
the Producer's Choice Award. Later that year,
she hosted the fourth annual D.A.T.'s B.A.D.
gala "Showtime at the Horner", honoring
the Charitable Christian Medical Clinics, as
well as appeared in concert at venues throughout
the South and Midwest (including Alabama, Tennessee,
Georgia and Arkansas).
Petrella was born and raised in Hot Springs,
Arkansas, and would have been a classmate of
President Bill Clinton in the schools had been
integrated. She grew up singing in church and
when asked why she chose country music, explains
“I didn’t choose country music;
it chose me. I came from the country…it
is a part of who I am”.
Petrella also donates her time and performs
at many benefits and at charitable institutions
such as the National Conference of the Lupus
Foundation of America, the Pantage Theatre on
behalf of the Long Beach (CA) Veterans Administration,
the Pasadena (CA) Senior Citizens Center, and
was a participant in the 2002 Winter Olympics
Torch Relay.
Smother.net
“Her music is a marriage of gospel, country,
soul, and roots rock. And it is beautiful. Her
vocals are well trained and focus on creating
full fledged harmony. The songs are well written,
masterful looks at country and soul and their
common bridge.
Contact Info: Bob Pollefeyt
Garden-Mound Records
Toll-Free 888-228-7774 or 319-295-4920
fax 619-864-1053
Email to: bpollefeyt@aol.com
Mail Address:
254 Northpointe Dr. NE #120
Cedar Rapids • IA 52402 USA |
