Rae Gordon sings the blues with style and flair

By Laurie Morrisey
Managing Editor

What do you get when you add the best of Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin, with a touch of Mae West? That would be our own Rae Gordon, one of the fabulous singing mavens who wows crowds at various local venues.

Influenced by the likes of Bette Midler, Rae says when she started doing blues it was Aretha Franklin and local favorites like Sonny Hess, Duffy Bishop and Ellen Whyte that helped to shape her. "A big influence in opening up my soul to blues was the music of Robbie Laws, too."

"I continue to be influenced by the amazing talent we have in the NW—from the seasoned pros to the newer blues converts that grace the jam stages. You can learn from everyone."

"I didn't grow up in the blues, but the blues found me and it found me big time. I now know that it was what I was missing. I found the blues at a Robbie Laws Jam at Trail's End. It took hold of my soul."

"I have had the incredible opportunity to play with some great people, both in band projects and as a special guest performer. They allowed me to learn and grow from them and play catch up," Rae said.

One of those people was Sonny Hess who gave Rae her first paid blues gig at Trail's End Saloon. Other local musicians she attributes with helping her include AC Porter, Robbie Laws, Timmer Blakely, and Dave Kahl. She says there were probably more she didn't mention that were just as important in the beginning–"Those were the ones who didn't roll their eyes too much as I tried to find my voice (and sometimes the note.)"

Bob Leitch, the guitar player in her first blues band, The Rebounders, helped to mold her performing style, she says. "His love of the blues was infectious and his knowledge impeccable. Bob gave me my first set of tunes to learn for the band and some of the songs have still made their way into my set lists today."

When discussing her vocal training, Rae says she is pretty much self taught. "I've had three lessons: one from Seth Riggs; one from Mark Bosnian; and one from Ellen Whyte. I have to say, although Seth Riggs is a famous vocal coach to the stars in LA, I got more incredible help from Mark and Ellen in one little minute than in his whole hour."

"I started singing in a piano bar at age 19 in West Hollywood, then 'graduated' to singing at the Belly Room, an open mic room above The Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip. I sang in between comedy acts and was able to enjoy the new comedians practice their material while I pretended to be Bette Midler," Rae said.

From there she was the opening act for comedy shows and ran an open mic at Carlos N Charlie's on Sunset. She also sang at different lounges, including the Roosevelt CineGrill on Hollywood Blvd across from Mann's Chinese Theater. "I regularly performed in an ensemble with Harriet Schock (singer/songwriter "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady") and Gayle Moran Corea," she said.

Moving to the Northwest in 1995, Rae joined a country band called Crystal Creek. "One time, on the marquee at the Arrowhead Golf Course, they had run out of 'C's' and for the night, we were the Crystal Greek Band...and the food was great that night," Rae said.

"I started my first blues band in 2002 and was with the Sonny Hess Band for two years, finishing up last year. I didn't cut my singing teeth on karaoke, but took a part time job running it for a while, and it was a great chance to really enjoy being the host of a music party, which helps with running a jam."

Rae is also known for her gospel shows. These shows started at the now defunct Hopper's, thanks to former owners Al and his wife Tammy who reached out and asked her to do it. "I didn't know a word of gospel," she said. After finishing a stint at Beale Street NW, the gospel show found a home as the First Sunday Gospel Show at Trail's End Saloon and celebrated a year last April. Now the show will also be the third Sunday of every month at Pig Heaven in Vancouver, Washington.

Currently, Rae has several different performing configurations. On any given night, the band lineup may include: Ken Brewer on keys/guitar/bass/kazoo (so she says, "cuz the dude can play anything."); Jim Buix ("Boo-ee") on drums; Jim Solberg on bass during jams; or Jeff Barnes on guitar, who she says has been a big help along the way with his great advice and his sense of humor. She also works with Gaddis Cavenah on guitar and Ben Partain on keys.

When asked if she always wanted to be a singer when she grew up, Rae said, "Funny enough, although I sang a lot in my early 20s, I wanted to be a police officer. I only dabbled in singing around 6th and 7th grade—I remember singing 'Bless the Beasts and the Children' by The Carpenters, holding a live rabbit in my lap. Even when I was singing in Los Angeles, it didn't quite take hold. It was just part of me."

When she isn't singing, Rae does marketing for the Clackamas County Tourism Department. "I'm working on growing my own marketing company, too," she said.

Currently Rae is working on a fundraising event—the 20/20 Art & Music Benefit for the 1190 KEX Kids Fund (info at www.creativecakenw.com), set for January 16th (also on CBA website).

Rae recorded a Gospel CD at Beale Street NW, Time with the Sonny Hess Band, several years ago and sang backup on one of Lisa Mann's CDs. She is currently in the studio recording her first original full length CD compilation entitled Blue Lemonade, so keep an eye out for that in 2011.

You can find Rae at the Trail's End Saloon on Thursdays. "I call it Blues Therapy (it's ok to cry) and figure that an hour there is worth three in the chair. I feel honored to be running a jam exactly where it all started and where I found blues, Trail's End Saloon."

For more information and a list of upcoming shows visit www.raegordon.com.

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