Not surprisingly, Valerie June's childhood was steeped in spiritual music at church and R&B and soul music at home. Between her time spent singing with choruses consisting of sometimes hundreds of parishioners and the influence of her father, who booked and promoted concerts near her hometown of Humbolt, the Tennessee-born singer-songwriter developed a unique voice that is as much inspired by old time country as blues and gospel. The title of her new album, Pushin' Against a Stone, reflects its production. A decade in the making, it was funded through through grassroots fundraising put together at a variety of locations — Tennessee, LA and even Budapest. The thing about pushing a rock for a while is that it eventually starts to roll downhill. Valerie June's music caught the attention of producers Dan Auerbach, Kevin Augunas and Booker T. Jones, who among others helped bring her talent to light. Now, she's making the rounds on the late night talk shows, touring with artists like Jake Bugg and Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, and even appearing in Vogue magazine (she's as gorgeous and fashionable as she is musically gifted). Recently, she stepped into The Roadhouse with Greg Vandy to talk about her life and perform songs from her terrific album:
Full performance:
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