Michele D'Amour and the Love Dealers
Michele D'Amour is a born storyteller and award-winning songwriter who penned her first song at the age of six and became a published poet in her early twenties. Her lyrics treat difficult topics with a sense of soulful whimsy and wry humor. Michele sang in her church choir, wrote songs, and sang lead for some local bands before honing her craft at several of the blues jams in the Seattle area. The band has been together for 12 years, released six albums, and plays a mix of classic and original blues, from slinky to sprightly. For fans who have never heard your music, can you pick three words to describe it?! Fun, funky, thoughtful. The lyrics are often approached with a sense of whimsy and a flair for storytelling. The discipline I gained in writing and studying poetry early on definitely comes in handy with songwriting.
What is your favorite part about being an artist? Is it songwriting, performing, recording, something else?) Tell us why. I love it all! The creative energy of writing and collaborating on songs, the process of recording and hearing the final product, and performing for an audience, seeing people enjoy our tunes. I especially love it when folks sing along!
Can you tell us what being in the recording studio is like for you? We usually go into the studio with songs that have been written, collaborated on, refined, practiced, and performed. At the same time we also leave room for the songs to evolve in studio and/or during the mixing process, because you never know when inspiration might strike. Okay, this a fun question. When you are not doing music, what else do you enjoy doing?
I love hanging around with my house of rescue pets (dogs and cats) and have been known to participate in strength sports, such as powerlifting and Scottish Highland games. Who do you admire most in the music scene today and why? I love everything that Robert Cray has done from his early albums on up to the most current ones. His music just keeps evolving and growing within the blues genre. I also enjoy his singing voice and appreciate his writing. Can you tell us what song you've written that is the most emotional and describe the meaning behind it? : It'd have to be Trouble, from our Lost Nights at the Leopard Lounge album. It's about that person you meet and know you should stay away, but you just can't. And then they ruin your life and you have to pick up the pieces and move on. Are you working on any new material right now or what's in the works for the upcoming year? Yes, I wrote some new songs in 2020 / 2021 and we're finally getting to work on them and play them live. We're planning to go back into the studio this year to record them, but aren't sure of the timing yet.
Whether you want to move your feet or wiggle in your seat, you'll have a good time as Michele and her award-winning band entertain you!
About the band, LA Music Critic said, "There is nothing like a good solid blues rhythm coupled with an amazing female voice that understands the true sound of the blues. Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers understand that there are different grooves for great blues music, and they have mastered all of those styles... they bring an authenticity to their sound not normally heard by today’s modern blues bands."
Stream on Spotify Find on Apple Music. For more information on Michele D'Amour and the Love Dealers, visit their website!