Betty Fox Band
Tampa, FL | Established. Jan 01, 2012 | SELF
Music
Press
Betty Fox releases her instinctive, rich and mellow Blues moxie on the fabulous new CD, "Slow Burn." Fox's vocals reach deep down inside capturing the true essence and tempered definition of soulful motion…. Her passionate and burning vocals fuel the emotive lyrics with a rich and fervent style and grace. Fox's efforts are supported by a solid cast of musicians that allow her to release her wonderfully smooth and rich vocals in colorful fashion. Make no mistake, "Slow Burn" packs a crisp punch of deep and soulful Blues that washes over you like an endless and evolving cascade.... - Cleve Baker
“Too Far Gone” By Betty Fox Band Is Powerful
Betty Fox is a staple in the Central Florida area, always bringing hearty performances to the venues and festivals she plays. She always brings it, and lets her music do the talking. Her love and respect for the gospel and soul she grew up on is evident every time she is on stage. She will move you. Too Far Gone by The Betty Fox Band showcases her talents, and the stellar band as well. Personnel on this album are Betty Fox – vocals, Josh Nelms – guitars, Matt Walker – bass, Aaron Fowler – drums, and Mark Cunningham on keyboards. Production values are good, the mix is spot on, and the overall sound is full. This album is chock full of pleasant surprises! From start to finish, it is a delicious mix of blues and soul. Standout cuts include “Down,” with it’s slow, smokey blues feel, and Beth Hart like vocal; just a sexy song all around. “Goodbye” has a slight Rhumba feel with another great vocal from Fox. “No Other Man” is delightfully slow, with a vague swing feel, and subtle blues riff. Another superior blues flavored cut is “Maybe Next Lifetime,” with it’s sparse atmospherics, and superb, understated playing from the band. “Story Not To Tell” is a funky blues, with a light Hendrix edge to it, and it is very effective. “Satisfied” is a Texas flavored blues reminiscent of the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Fox’s singing is a cross between Beth Hart and Etta James, with a touch of Marion James thrown in. The band is impressive throughout. Their playing is solid and understated, but you never get the feeling they are laying back. This album is a fine mix of Texas soul, North Side soul, gospel, and blues that all come together brilliantly. Take this for a spin soon. - Barry Kerzner
WOMR/WFMR Radio
T-Bird
This girl is a star waiting to be discovered. Anyone that has seen her perform live is blown away! She … looks like a hip Doris Day that turns into a medium when she performs … channeling Beth Hart, Janis Joplin and even a little bit of Joe Cocker while totally …. keeping her own style of singing and performing… From sensational renditions of covers to cool originals she’s a must see live new hot Blues/Soul/Contemporary singer!
This girl is a star waiting to be discovered. Anyone that has seen her perform live is blown away! She … looks like a hip Doris Day that turns into a medium when she performs … channeling Beth Hart, Janis Joplin and even a little bit of Joe Cocker while totally …. keeping her own style of singing and performing… From sensational renditions of covers to cool originals she’s a must see live new hot Blues/Soul/Contemporary singer! - T-Bird
East Coast Blues News
Keith Lambert
On the heels of her…. album release; "Slow Burn"- Betty Fox is poised to become a very hot commodity in the ever-changing climate of Blues Music. In the process, The Betty Fox Band has once again put Central Florida in the spotlight- which, in case you hadn't noticed, is a hotbed for the blues of late. Not an overnight success, Betty has honed her craft, paid her dues and continues to evolve as an emerging artist. The Betty Fox Band takes it to another level while on stage. They are definitely in their element when performing live. Betty's vocal range soars and her emotion, soul and power are something to behold front row and center. - Keith Lambert
Jazz & Blues Florida Magazine
Bob Weinberg
On the title track to her new CD, "Slow Burn", Fox sings of raw desire, starting out somewhat restrained but finishing in howling torment that conjures the ghost of Janis Joplin. Joplin’s Southern Comfort-fueled rasp certainly informs Fox’s craft, as does Etta James’ sexy purr, all filtered through the singer’s own soulful sensibilities……. - Bob Weinberg
Examiner.com
Don O'Cull
Though her good looks and her subtle, sultry stage presence are reminiscent of someone like Natasha Bedingfield, Fox possesses an older, wiser voice, replete with the hills and valleys grown in slat shanties tucked into backwoods or grimy back alleys where hard souls are forged in poverty and solitude. She reports that her pipes were forged in the churches of South Tampa, an area replete with its own blues history. In fact, there were moments in Fox’s brief Heatwave stint when it seemed she channeled the likes of Tampa Red, or his some time partner, Ma Rainey.
And it’s imperative for all of St. Pete’s serious blues fans to get to one of these gigs, as Fox’s next review will likely glow exponentially brighter. - Don O'Cull
Blues Revue Magazine
Phillip Smith
Soulful and Fun
The Betty Fox Band from the Tampa Bay, Florida, area has certainly grabbed ahold of my attention. Too Far Gone, their introductory album, has an instant likeability to it, with a solidly sexy finish from beginning to end. Songstress Betty Fox fronts this well-oiled band featuring Josh Nelms on guitar, Matt Walker on bass, drummer Aaron Fowler, and keyboardist Mark Cunningham. The initial attraction is most certainly Fox’s lovely voice, which can go from soulful to sassy in the wink of an eye. Then it sinks in that it takes well-written songs and a great backing band to bring out the great vocals. This is where Betty Fox stock prices rise even further. Penning all but two of the songs on the album, and putting the band together as well, proves just that she is the complete package.
As Fox enters into the funky opening track, “Take Your Time,” she tosses out a few neat little jazzy vocables, like little hand grenades clearing the way for the bombshell of a song that follows. Then, to smooth out the adrenalin, they slow it way down with “Dirty Soul,” which instantly brought to mind West Side Story’s “Cool” with its finger-snapping introduction. The remainder is soaked in the influential spirit of Howlin’ Wolf.
Like a bluesy Christina Aguilera, Fox takes us on a delightful vocal journey with some very interesting runs on the title track, “Too Far Gone.” Some mighty fierce singing breaks out on top of Nelms’ catchy slow-cooked groove. Speaking of Nelms, I really like the way he approaches the song “Maybe Next Lifetime,” with a Mark Knopfler kind of style.
Too Far Gone is soulful and fun. I enjoyed this album very much and expect to hear more from this band in the future. - Phillip Smith
Discography
Too Far Gone,Full Studio Album, 2012
Slow Burn, Full Studio Album, 2014
Peace In Pieces, Full Studio Album, 2018
Photos
Bio
With an extensive background in gospel and a lifelong passion for soul music, Betty Fox has come a long way from her southern roots to headlining festivals and captivating thousands with her raw swagger and unwavering talent. Now the 2015 representative of the Suncoast Blues Society, an International Blues Challenge Finalist, and 5 time winner of Creative Loafing’s Best of the Bay, she is truly proving herself a force to be reckoned with.
Betty Fox appreciated singing early in life and performed for the first time at a church play at the age of 4. Her family had a deep love for southern country gospel and tight harmonies which they would express at every Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and that is where her affinity for music began. "My uncle Fred would pound on the keys with his monster hands while my (rather large) family and I would all gather around the piano... My grandmother would stand behind me and my cousins would hold my hands as we all sang four and five part harmonies to songs like “It Is Well With My Soul”, “The Old Rugged Cross”, and “Till the Storm Passes By”. To this day, those songs and those moments mean more to me than anything", Fox says.
After honing her craft for 20 years, her debut album, “Too Far Gone”, put her on the international map as a songwriter and vocalist and had the critics from American Blues Scene Magazine to Blues Revue Magazine singing her praises! Her Sophomore album, "Slow Burn" was released in June 2015, and is already receiving rave reviews from Blues DJ's, critics, and enthusiasts around the world! It will surely take her farther than she ever imagined.
To support her talent, she has carefully selected musical heavyweights Barry Williams on bass, and Josh Nelms on guitar to set herself up for nothing less than well deserved success. In fact, in the past year this dynamic quartet has skyrocketed to the Florida spotlight, playing on multiple notable music festivals including the world renowned Tampa Bay Blues Festival, and the largest free music festival in the US: Springing the Blues. This band has competed in the International Blues Challenge making it to the finals 8 of 150 bands! They have opened for such artists such as Mavis Staples, Lucky Peterson, Jimmy Thackery, Marcia Ball, Southern Hospitality, and The Meter Men, for crowds amassing over 6,000 screaming fans! As many will tell you, you definitely don't want to miss this one of a kind musical experience!
Band Members
Links
