Blue To The Bone

During the 90's Blue by Nature emerged from L.A.'s thriving and highly competitive blues/R&B music scene, to become one of the top bands in So. Cal. The five-member group, renowned for their high-energy live shows, utilized eclectic and diverse musical influences to create a widely appealing 'cross-over' blues-based sound which thrilled fans and won them a solid and still growing core of faithful followers across the USA. Karen Lawrence, Blue by Nature's driving force, is a dynamic singer and prolific songwriter. A charismatic performer with a spirited stage presence, Lawrence has enjoyed a challenging and diverse career. A stage performer continually since the age of 9, she fronted her first band, a blues outfit, at the age of 13. As front woman for the A&M band 1994: (produced by Jack Douglas), Lawrence's distinctive and emotive vocal stylings frequently put her on International critics' 'Best Female Singer' lists. Wrote 'Kerrang!'...'it was 1994:'s Karen Lawrence who gave the others the choice of being second best or giving up'. Geoff Barton of Classic Rock Magazine - UK, rates Rock Candy Records' Collector's Edition Reissue of the 1994: album as, 'probably the greatest female-fronted release of all time'. In addition to lead vocal and writing credits on Jeff Beck's Epic/Legacey release 'Beckology', Lawrence's most notable coup was composing 'Prisoner', the theme song for the film 'The Eyes of Laura Mars', which was immortalized by Barbra Streisand and included on her Greatest Hits II album. (Over 4 times platinum, the song has been identified in songbooks as one of the one hundred best love songs.) Blue by Nature was formed in March 1993 when Lawrence and collaborator of 14 years, rhythm guitarist Fred Hostetler, joined up with longtime friend Rick Dufay. Dufay, the former Aerosmith axeman, delivered and explosive and provocative guitar sound to the band. Four years and three critical acclaimed CDs later, Dufay left to pursue a solo career and the torch was passed to young Brad Ayers. Ayers' crisp Buddy Guy like riffs appear on the Hard Daze release. Shortly after the CD was finished however, his promising career ended when Brad passed away of natural causes. Guitarist Tommy Moody and bassist Phillip Meyers joined core members; drummer Dan Potruch, rhythm guitarist Fred Hostetler, and, of course, writer and vocalist Karen Lawrence, through to the summer of 1999 when Blue by Nature began it's 'hiatus'. In 2001 Blue by Nature,once again, came together in the studio to record one of the most engaging pieces Lawrence has written to date. Mixed and mastered by Jack Douglas, the soulful romantic ballad, 'I Couldn't Help But Love You' was written for the movie entitled 'Up Against Amanda'. This chilling thriller, which featured much of Blue by Nature's music, was written and directed by Michael Rissi. Carefully sidestepping formulas, Blue by Nature, as it's name suggests, strives to let the music come easily and flow naturally. Through inspired song writing and impassioned performances Blue by Nature has given a familiar and beloved idiom a fresh identity while still being true to the heart of the blues.