Lavelle
White began performing in Houston clubs in the 1950's with the Johnny
Copeland Band. Scouted by Don Robey of Duke-Peacock Records, she was
signed to that label and cut her first sides with Duke in 1958. She
consequently had several regional hits, including "Stop Those
Teardrops", featuring Dr. John on piano, and "Yes, I've Been Crying." In
all, she recorded nearly a dozen sides for Duke; she also wrote "Lead Me
On" for Bobby "Blue" Bland. White also toured nationally throughout the
'50's and '60's as an opening act or supporting act for numerous R&B
packages, which included B.B. King,
Bobby Bland,
Junior Parker, Sam
Cooke, Gene Chandler, Gladys Knight & The Pips, the Isley Brothers,
Aretha Franklin, and Smokey Robinson. After her recording career ended
at Duke in 1964, she continued working clubs in Texas and the south,
including stints with famed Arkansas guitarist Larry Davis. She left
Houston in the late 70's and moved to Chicago, where she became the
headliner at the famed blues club the Kingston Mines from 1978 -1987.
While in Chicago she worked with such notables as Jr. Wells, Buddy Guy
and Lonnie Brooks. She returned to Houston in 1988 and once again began
working the clubs, including Antone's in Austin. She has since been
voted Houston's Blues Artist Of The Year, and received three French
Academy Awards, including the
Big Bill
BroonzyAward and the Charlie Cross
Academy Award by President George Mitterand for her talent and
contribution the the blues. 1994, she recorded her first full album,
Miss Lavelle, on Antone's Records and it was voted one of the best blues
albums of the year. She received three W.C. Handy Award nominations in
May 1995, including Artist of the Year. The long hard years of hard work
have finally paid off for Lavelle White, as she has finally begun to
receive the recognition deserving of her talent.