Eliza Neals to Perform at Long Branch Jazz & Blues Festival

Neal's latest single, "Candy Store" (released this past February), follows in the footsteps of Ruth Brown, Koko Taylor and Etta James. After catching the ‘Pawn Shop Blues,” a “Sugar Daddy” strolled into town but now there’s not enough honey to save him. This tongue-n-cheek gem takes ‘playing the dozens’ to new heights. “Candy Store” will make you laugh until your sweet tooth falls out.

"Eliza Neals spins her lyrics into luscious ear candy, in her early years of performing at clubs in Detroit and hanging with Barrett Strong is where her sweet style was honed, writes Indie Pulse Music in a recent review. 'Candy Store will make you laugh until your sweet tooth falls out."

Eliza’s history of performing and/or opening for legendary musicians goes back many years, from Detroit’s songwriting godfather, Barrett Strong; to, among others, George Clinton, The Four Tops, Kenny Olson, Tony Joe White, Lance Lopez, Mike Zito, Tommy Castro, Walter Trout, Poppa Chubby, Albert Castiglia, Micki Free, Victor Wainwright, King Solomon Hicks, Peter Keys and Blues Foundation Hall of Fame bluesman, Joe Louis Walker.

Neal's full-length release album Black Crow Moan was named a ‘Top Album of 2020’ after landing on so many 'Best Of' lists. B.B. Kings Bluesville (Sirius XM) has featured sixteen of Eliza Neals in regular rotation since she released her incendiary album Breaking and Entering, quickly thrusting her onto the national blues scene. Her soulful blues ballad 'Another Lifetime' reached #6 on Bluesville's Rack of Blues, while Black Crow Moan reached #9 on ROB. 'Sugar Daddy,' released in 2021 reached #5 and remained on ROB for twelve weeks, finishing #12 in the Top Fifteen Blues Songs of 2021 on ROB year-end list. “Queen of the Nile”, Eliza’s latest ballad from her critically-acclaimed 2022 album Badder to the Bone, is currently in heavy rotation and reached #5 on ROB. Eliza’s albums have ascended to the Billboard Top #25; she's also had five singles and albums in the top five spots on Amazon and ITunes for over three months.

Neals -- bandleader, songwriter, vocalist, keyboardist, producer, and record label owner -- has had a cadre of amazing musicians back her up over the years. “The best in the business” is what people say, with Neal bringing an all-star line-up wherever she performs. Audiences are thrilled with her band and plethora of special guests.

Her radio charting and press is great; seeing Eliza Neals perform live is even better. Her shows are exciting, intoxicating and jam-packed with sultry powerful vocals, spirited moves, and soulful piano playing while leading her stellar band and never missing a beat. Phil Ohlinger, President of the Ohio “Big Bend Blues Bash” who booked Eliza, said, “in seventeen years we have had some great women vocalists perform, but not one has outperformed Eliza. I think we have a new crowd favorite!”

Eliza Neals started out singing and performing with her sisters and eventually was told, “you have to get a degree to live under this roof.” Eliza chose opera studies, graduating from Detroit’s Wayne State University (WSU) with a Bachelor of Arts degree and Minor in piano. Touring and performing with the WSU Concert Chorale in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Belgium and UK’s Glastonbury as a Mezzo Soprano Opera singer was thrilling, but eventually the blues chose Eliza (and vice versa).

Back in Detroit, Neals sat in and performed at live music venues like Floods, Old Detroit, Burt’s Warehouse, The Rhinoceros, Soup Kitchen, Bakers Keyboard Lounge and more, honing her voice, signature style and piano chops. A chance meeting with Motown Legend Barrett Strong Jr. led to Eliza signing with his record label, where she learned to produce and arrange (vocals to strings) in his multi-million-dollar studio. Eliza and Barrett became good friends; he showed her the many hidden secrets of a Motown-trained singer, songwriter and performer. Soul legends Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight were previous artists Barrett Strong had produced, making Eliza Neals the last Motown-trained R&B vocalist from Detroit, and landing her in some very special company.

Neals relocated to Jersey City, New Jersey from Detroit to be closer to the East Coast's big-city blues scenes.

August 26 (Sat) - Long Branch NJ@Long Branch Jazz & Blues Festival

Sept 21 (Thu) - Sellersville PA@Sellersville Theater

Sept 24 (Sun) - New York NY@Sony Hall

Sept 26 (Tue) - Old Saybrook@Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center

Oct 13 (Fri) - Chicago IL@Buddy Guy's Legends

Dec 1 (Fri) - Bradenton FL@Bradenton Blues Festival

Dec 7 (Thur) - Brunswick GA@The Blue Door

Dec 8 (Fri) - Ormond Beach FL@Blues & Brews Bistro

Dec 15 (Fri) - Biloxi MS@Ground Zero Blues Club

Jan 14 (Sun) - South Orange NJ@South Orange Performing Arts Center

Feb 24 (Sat) - Vero Beach FL@Vero Beach Blues Festival