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| Sue Foley | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sue Foley |
| Birth date | 1968-03-29 |
| Birth place | Canada |
| Genres | Blues |
| Occupation | Musician, singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Labels | Antone's, Ruf, Stony Plain |
Sue Foley Sue Foley is a Canadian-born blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter known for electric blues performance and recording. She has been active since the 1980s, recording for labels and appearing at festivals and clubs across North America and Europe. Foley has collaborated with notable artists and contributed to contemporary blues through touring, session work, and mentoring.
Foley was born in Canada and grew up in a musical environment that led to early exposure to artists like B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan. As a teenager she began playing guitar and was influenced by recordings from Chess Records, Delmark Records, Atlantic Records, Capitol Records. Her formative years included listening to performers associated with venues such as Antone's and festivals like the Chicago Blues Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival. Early teachers and local scenes connected her to Canadian institutions including the Toronto Blues Society and venues in Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg.
Foley's professional career started with club dates and regional tours, expanding to national exposure through recording contracts with labels including Antone's Records, Ruf Records, Stony Plain Records. She relocated between Canada and the United States to pursue opportunities in blues hubs such as Austin, Texas, New Orleans, Nashville, Tennessee, and Chicago, Illinois. Over decades she has released studio albums, live recordings, and compilation appearances, joining bills with artists like Bonnie Raitt, Etta James, Otis Rush, Keb' Mo'', Joe Bonamassa. Foley has performed at international festivals including the Montreal International Jazz Festival, East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, and venues such as Royal Albert Hall for special events. She has also contributed to soundtrack sessions and television appearances alongside producers and session musicians associated with Rick Rubin, T Bone Burnett, Tom Dowd-era engineers and studios such as Sun Studio and Ardent Studios.
Foley's guitar technique blends elements from electric blues pioneers and contemporary blues-rock. Her playing shows lineage from Freddie King, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, John Lee Hooker and modernizes phrasing associated with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Walter Trout. Vocal stylings recall influences like Mavis Staples and Irma Thomas while integrating phrasing heard on recordings from Atlantic Records soul sessions and Stax Records rhythm sections. Her repertoire often includes covers of standards by Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, and originals informed by songwriting traditions exemplified by Willie Dixon and Robert Johnson. Arrangements frequently employ instrumentation and production approaches found in sessions with musicians from The Memphis Horns, rhythm sections influenced by Booker T. Jones-style grooves, and guitar tones shaped by equipment associated with Fender and Gibson instruments.
Foley's recorded output spans studio albums, live albums, and guest appearances. - Early recordings on independent labels reflecting blues roots and live club energy, connected to scenes in Toronto and Austin, Texas. - Releases on Antone's Records that garnered airplay on specialty programs associated with BBC Radio 2, SiriusXM Bluesville, and blues charts maintained by Billboard. - Albums on Ruf Records that highlighted collaborations with session players linked to Fiona Apple-era studios and veteran blues sidemen from Chicago. - Later projects on Stony Plain Records showcasing matured songwriting and production resembling sessions at Nashville, Tennessee studios. Guest appearances include recordings with artists from genres represented by Alligator Records, Fat Possum Records, and compilations curated by the Blues Foundation and regional organizations such as the British Columbia Music Association.
Foley has received nominations and awards from industry and regional bodies including multiple entries in the Blues Music Awards and honors from the Canadian Independent Music Awards and provincial arts councils. Critics in publications like Rolling Stone, DownBeat, Living Blues and broadcasters such as BBC Radio and NPR have recognized her contributions. She has been featured in halls of fame and festival honoree listings connected to organizations such as the Blues Foundation and the Texas Music Hall of Fame.
Outside performance Foley has been involved with charitable and advocacy efforts tied to music education and community programs affiliated with institutions like the Blues Foundation, Guitar Foundation of America, Little Kids Rock, and regional arts councils in British Columbia and Texas. She has participated in benefit concerts supporting causes associated with United Way, Doctors Without Borders, and health charities that partner with festival fundraisers such as those at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Personal collaborations and mentorships link her to younger artists emerging from scenes in Austin and Toronto.
Category:Canadian blues guitarists Category:Women blues singers