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By Gary Schwind

Eliza Neals is a blues singer whose music has been honored in her native Detroit as well as in international
publications. She discusses her new album, working with blues icon Joe Louis Walker, and how her opera
training has helped her career as a blues musician.

GS: How do you feel the new album
compares to previous work you’ve done?

EN: This album is going to be more
sentimental—a lot of stuff coming from
way, way back. I think it’s more heartfelt.
More like a confessional. That’s different.
Of course I have some different guests like
the blues icon Mr. Joe Louis Walker. And
also the blues-rock Detroit legend Derek St.
Holmes from all the hits from Ted Nugent,
who also wrote a song for Koko Taylor. It’s
a mixture of those two sounds. It’s a lot of
confessional stuff.

GS: Was there any impetus for making
this more confessional and more
personal?

EN: It just came out. A lot of the times
when I’m writing or when I’m onstage, it
happens. I’m just ready to speak about
certain things. The timing was right for me to get certain things off my chest. I know a lot of my friends and
fans are going through a lot. I guess I’m being a little braver than I have been in the past, letting things out.
What’s happened to me has probably happened to other people.

GS: Do you find that’s a little more challenging?

EN: I think I’m just being braver. It’s an evolution for me of finding the strength to be 100% myself. If you’re
brave enough to do it, that is what helps everybody else.

GS: Your fans can probably sense the authenticity in that.

EN: The fans tell me how much they love it, and how much it comforts them when I sing certain things with
just me and the piano. I go out on a limb, and it’s almost like walking around naked. When I’ve played these
songs live, some fans have said, “Wow! That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard. Thank you so much.”

GS: What do you learn from working with artists like Joe Louis Walker?

EN: I became friends with him because the bass player he uses is the bass player I use on the east coast, the
great Lenny Bradford. I actually went to one of his gigs in New York and met Joe, who I really wanted to
meet. I’ve always wanted to work with him, and that became a reality on “The Devil Don’t Love You” and
“Black Crow Moan”. He has such an authentic blues voice. It’s got that raspiness to it. I thought it would be a