Janet Ryan and Straight Up
Picture Aretha Franklin meeting Albert Collins at the crossroads for a drink, and you'll have an idea of what Janet Ryan and Straight Up! are all about. Strong female vocals, ripping guitars, and fat Hammond B3 backed by a monster rhythm section.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
I met Janet over the internet a few years ago. I invited her to a session I was running, and after I heard her sing, I built a band around her. We have recorded two CDs in two years, and are working on our latest release now.
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
We play live in the northeast. We play in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York.
We never met a gig that we didnt't like! We have opened up or shared the bill with bands like Johnny Winter, James Montgomery, Solomon Burke, Sherman Robertson, Little Ed and the Blues Imperials, James Cotton, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Fliers, the Holmes Brothers, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Sugar Ray and the BlueTones, Magic Dick and J. Geils, Monster Mike Welch, Dickey Betts, Michael Hill's Blues Mob, and Charles Neville, among others.
Your musical influences
You can feel the influence of Etta James and Janis Joplin, the blues of Buddy Guy and Junior Wells, and the soul of Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin.
What equipment do you use?
Drums, bass, guitar, Hammond organ, and vocals, recorded into a DAW. Shake well and there you have it!
