Page 36 - BiTS_07_JULY_2022

BiTS: Why did you include a second version of ‘Queen of the Nile’ on the album? They’re very
similar, although the second one is a bit shorter.

EN: I was just worried because the first one is almost seven minutes and I said, what if the DJs
don't want to play something that long? I started to panic because I said they have to hear this
song, so I said, you know what, I’m just going to shorten another one just so they have that one
too, just in case because I wanted to have it for safekeeping because they had to hear it. You
never know how the radio is. Sometimes they need a three-minute song, a four-minute song. I
put the long one in as the main one, so my instincts were correct and did ‘Heathen’, sitting in
the window, playing in Florida. I had to escape and just be free for a minute and so that
worked out really well. And Nashville’s right next door, so it worked out. It was really
wonderful.

BiTS: One last song that I want to talk to you about is the only cover on the album, Steve
Winwood’s ‘Can’t Find My Way Home’. Why did you choose that?

EN: That’s one of the songs my sister Valerie always told me to do - I think we were getting
ready to put our set together. We had a band; she would sing with me. She’s a keyboard player.
She’s a fabulous songwriter. She’s just a bit
shy, and so I’m trying to get it out there for
her too because she’s a wonderful
musician and my other sister Michelle’s a
great singer as well. One day maybe you’ll
hear all of them…anyway Valerie told me
“If you sing any cover, it has to be ‘Can’t
Find My Way Home’ by Blind Faith", and
so I found it and listened to it and I did it.

I just started singing it at every gig and it
became one of my most popular songs on
my gigs, so I said I have to cut it—and
that’s how I do it live.

BiTS: Okay, that’s absolutely wonderful.

Tell me, were you badly affected by the
pandemic in the sense that you lost a lot of
gigs?

EN: Yes, I lost about 100 gigs. I had a tour
to Spain and the UK all set. I had Florida,
shows, all the way from Maine to Kansas City, back to Detroit. I had recently been asked to
come out to Arizona, California, but yes, I lost about a hundred shows, Ian. I did.

The only thing that saved me was putting the record out and getting on the radio on Sirius XM.
They embraced my music and I’m one of the women in blues they feature. I’m blessed to be on
there. When I look at the play list I’m right up there with Bonnie Raitt. As much as she’s played,
I’m right behind her on the list. It’s Bonnie Raitt, me and then Sass Jordan. I love her voice too,
but I’m very blessed to have that happen otherwise, who knows what I would have done. I
would have been much more depressing, I’ll tell you that much.

BiTS: Finally, the title of the album “Badder to the Bone”, is that supposed to be a flipped
finger to George Thorogood?