Rory Block
Rory Block at the MerleFest 2014
Rory Block at the MerleFest 2014
Background information
Birth nameAurora Block
Born (1949-11-06) November 6, 1949
Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.
GenresCountry blues
Occupation(s)Musician, singer
Instrument(s)Guitar
Years active1964–present
Labels
WebsiteRoryblock.com

Aurora "Rory" Block (born November 6, 1949,[1] in Princeton, New Jersey) is an American blues guitarist and singer, a notable exponent of the country blues style.[2]

Career

Aurora Block was born in Princeton and grew up in Manhattan. Her father, Allan Block,[3] ran a sandal shop in Greenwich Village in the 1960s, and the Greenwich Village folk music scene, such as Peter Rowan, Maria Muldaur, and John Sebastian influenced Block to study classical guitar.[4] At the age of 14, she met guitarist Stefan Grossman, who introduced her to the music of Mississippi Delta blues guitarists.[5]

Block began listening to old albums, transcribing them, and learning to play the songs. At age 15, she left home to seek out the remaining blues giants, such as Mississippi John Hurt, Reverend Gary Davis, and Son House,[2] and hone her craft in the traditional manner of blues musicians;[4] then she traveled to Berkeley, California, where she played in clubs and coffeehouses.

After retiring temporarily to raise a family, Block returned to the music industry in the 1970s with middling success until signing with Rounder Records in 1981, who encouraged her to return to her love for the classical blues form.[2] Since then she has carved out her own niche, releasing numerous critically acclaimed albums of original and traditional songs, including many Robert Johnson covers, such as "Terraplane Blues" and "Come on in My Kitchen". Her 1986 album, I've Got a Rock in My Sock, included contributions from Taj Mahal and David Bromberg.[2] The same year, Block's 19 year old son, Thiele, died in an automobile accident. Her tribute to him, House of Hearts, contained mostly Block penned tracks.[2]

Angel of Mercy, Turning Point, and Tornado included mostly original compositions. However, Mama's Blues, Ain't I a Woman and When a Woman Gets the Blues featured songs written by Tommy Johnson, Robert Johnson, Lottie Beaman, and Mattie Delaney.[6]

In 2010, Block released her autobiography in .pdf format and a limited print run titled When A Woman Gets The Blues.

Awards

Rory Block has won seven Blues Music Awards, two for "Traditional Blues Female Artist" (1997, 1998), three for "Acoustic Blues Album of the Year" (1996, 1999, 2007), the 2019 "Acoustic Artist of the Year" and the prestigious Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Female Blues Artist in 2021.[7][8] She also won NAIRD awards for "Best Adult Contemporary Album of the Year" in 1994 for Angel of Mercy and again in 1997 for Tornado. Rory also won the "Trophees France Blues 98" for "International Acoustic Guitarist of the Year". She was inducted in to The New York Blues Hall of Fame in 2016. [9]

Discography

Year Title Label Number Notes
1967How to Play Blues GuitarElektra324Credited as "Sunshine Kate", with Stefan Grossman, reissued in 1978 as Kicking Mule 109
1975Rory BlockRCA Victor0733
1976Rory Block (I'm in Love)Blue Goose2022
1977Intoxication, So Bitter SweetChrysalis1157
1979You're the OneChrysalis1233
1981High Heeled BluesRounder3061Recorded at Bearsville Sound Studios, Produced by John Sebastian
1983Blue HorizonRounder3073
1984Rhinestones & Steel StringsRounder3085
1986I've Got a Rock in My SockRounder3097
1987Best Blues and OriginalsRounder11525
1987House of HeartsRounder3104
1990Color Me WildAlcazar1003Children's album
1991Mama's BluesRounder3117
1992Ain't I a WomanRounder3120
1994Angel of MercyRounder31261994 Adult Contemporary Album of the Year
1994Women in (E)motionTradition & Moderne107Live, 1988
1995When a Woman Gets the BluesRounder31391996 Acoustic Blues Album of the Year
1995Turning PointMunich145
1996TornadoRounder31401997 Adult Contemporary Album of the Year
1997Gone Woman Blues: The Country Blues CollectionRounder11575
1997The Early Tapes 1975-1976Alcazar111
1998Confessions Of A Blues SingerRounder31541999 Acoustic Blues Album of the Year
2002I'm Every WomanRounder3174
2003Last Fair DealTelarcCD-83593
2004Sisters & BrothersTelarcCD-83588With Eric Bibb and Maria Muldaur
2005From the DustTelarcCD-83614
2006The Lady and Mr JohnsonRykodiscRCD 108722007 Acoustic Blues Album of the Year
2008Blues Walkin' Like a Man: A Tribute to Son HouseStony PlainSPCD 1329First release in the Mentor Series.
2008Country Blues Guitar - Rare Archival Recordings 1963-1971Guitar WorkshopSGGW103With Stefan Grossman, reissue of How to Play Blues Guitar plus 16 additional tracks
2011Shake 'Em on Down: A Tribute to Mississippi Fred McDowellStony PlainSPCD 1344Second release in the Mentor Series.
2012I Belong to the Band: A Tribute to Rev. Gary DavisStony PlainSPCD 1359Third release in the Mentor Series.
2013Avalon: A Tribute to Mississippi John HurtStony PlainSPCD 1369Fourth release in the Mentor Series.[10]
2014Hard Luck Child: A Tribute to Skip JamesStony PlainSPCD 1373Fifth release in the Mentor Series.
2016Keepin' Outta Trouble: A Tribute to Bukka WhiteStony PlainSPCD 1393Sixth release in the Mentor Series.
2018A Woman’s Soul: A Tribute to Bessie SmithStony PlainSPCD 1399Power Women Of The Blues series - Vol. 1
2020Prove It On MeStony PlainSPCD 1409Power Women Of The Blues series - Vol. 2
2022Ain't Nobody WorriedStony PlainSPCD 1468Power Women Of The Blues series - Vol. 3

[11]

Festival appearances

Further reading

  • Block, Rory When A Woman Gets The Blues (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 14 April 2011, ISBN 1456520296)

References

  1. ↑ "Rory Block - Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Blues (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 40/42. ISBN 0-85112-673-1.
  3. ↑ Weber, Bruce (November 3, 2013). "Allan Block, Whose Sandal Shop Was Folk Music Hub, Dies at 90 (Published 2013)". The New York Times. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Rory Block Official Home Page!". Roryblock.com. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  5. ↑ "Born to the Blues". Archive.is. 2008-11-24. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
  6. ↑ Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. p. 94. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
  7. ↑ McKay, Robin. "BLUES MUSIC AWARDS". Blues.org. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  8. ↑ "2019 Blues Music Awards Winners Announced". Antimusic.com. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  9. ↑ "Rory Block Resume". Roryblock.com. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  10. ↑ Block, Rory (4 June 2013). "Avalon: A Tribute To Mississippi John Hurt". Stony Plain Records. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  11. ↑ Grego Anderson. "Rory Block Discography". Mojohand.com. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
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