Gerald Hanks
Move over, Green Bay, Wisconsin:
Videos by Rare
Houston may be the New Titletown!
With a World Series title in the books, and an NBA title potentially on the horizon, a third group of intrepid performers brought another world title home to H-Town earlier this month, when the 34th Annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis crowned Keeshea Pratt “queen of the blues.”
Her band took home the honors of being named best at the festival.
Ms. Pratt and her band reportedly earned the top spot among more than 200 acts, which performed along Memphis’ famous Beale Street.
As featured below, her band includes a horn section of a saxophone and two trumpets, along with the traditional combination of guitar, bass and drums.
The band’s sound, along with Pratt’s dynamic and soulful vocals, reportedly made them the hit of the festival, with fans from around the world singing along.
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While the talent Pratt and her band put on display in Memphis may come as no surprise to her fellow hometown Houston fans, the most remarkable aspect of their success is, perhaps, how the band first took the stage together less than a year ago.
Members said the group started in the summer of 2017, playing at many of Houston’s most historic blues and jazz venues, including The Big Easy, Sambuca and Emmit’s Place.
But their festival win is reportedly filling up the band’s booking calendar beyond local clubs:
During an interview, Pratt told the Houston Press the band is booked through the spring and summer months, as well as for the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise in October.
“Everybody who’s anybody is on that cruise,” Pratt said. “From Taio Cruz to Taj Mahal to Bobby Rush…everybody. Everybody.”
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Despite her less-than-365-day rise to fame, Pratt said she isn’t letting her sudden success go to her head.
When she returned from Memphis, the “queen of the blues” went back to being a mom for her kids, true to her humble word:
“I’m a full-time mama,” she said further in the interview. “I didn’t get a break. I came right on in, back to full-time mama mode.”
Keeshea Pratt Band Brings Home A World Title https://t.co/17xIV8MXXK pic.twitter.com/mXWIbWUFjH
— Houston Informer (@houstoninformer) January 25, 2018
Congrats, Keeshea, and the entire band for your work and performance!
