rffamilyband09

6/17/2010 Dallas, TX

2010-06-23T21:00:40Z

6/17/2010 Dallas, TX The Granada Theater

We have been looking forward to coming back to the Granada ever since it was put on the calendar. Now, I remember why. They always take such GREAT care of us when we are here. Thanks so much G!!
AND tonight, we got to play with the Carolina Chocolate Drops! They are so awesome!! I actually got some pretty great shots of everyone onstage..

Ruthie and the band went on during their set and did Richland Women Chocolate Drop style!

They all joined us for the Family Band's set and did Hole In My Pocket, a string symphony! Just beautiful!

Our Set List:

Up Above My Head
Hole In My Pocket
I Really Love You
Runaway Soul
Another Rain Song
When It Don't Come Easy
Woke Up This Morning
Stone Love
Phenomenal Woman
People Grinnin In Your Face
Mama Said
Thanks For The Joy
Heal Yourself
Travelin' Shoes

Encore:
Joy On the Other Side

Hopefully we will see you all on the road, next stop is Monterey Blues Festival in California on 6/26!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

6/16/2010 New York City, NY

2010-06-23T19:52:54Z

6/16/2010 New York City, NY Madison Square Park, Oval Lawn Series

Ruthie and I have been here for a couple of days, it's just like coming home, in a good way. The gig tonight was no exception. Some old friends of mine came out to see the show, and that was beautiful getting to spend time with them (Love you, Eric, Dean and Rick!!). The band came in this morning, and we again were worried about rain, but in the true Ruthie Foster Family Band tradition, we hit the stage for sound check and the skies parted, and the sun came out!

It really is a cool setting, just a little park in the middle of the city. The noise of the city continued behind them, but that didn't seem to phase the band as they rocked the socks off the people in the park! I didn't get any pics of this, but toward the back of the park, people were practicing their ballroom dancing to the band too.. as always, it was a great energy to behold.

Our set list tonight:

Woke Up This Morning
Fruits of My Labor
Up Above My Head
Smalltown Blues
Richland Women Blues
Phenomenal Woman
People Grinnin in Your Face
Joy
(You Keep Me) Hangin' On
Stone Love
Travelin' Shoes

Encore:
Real Love

A Huge thank you has to go out to the festival staff for taking such excellent care of us!! It was an awesome day for us all!!

We are off to Dallas tomorrow, early early early. So maybe we will see you at the Granada? Hopefully so..
Night all!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's Tour manager

6/12/2010 Warm Springs, VA

2010-06-23T18:53:34Z

6/12/2010 Warm Springs, VA Virginia Blues and Jazz Festival

Have you ever been to Warm Springs? I recommend it, what a serene and beautiful place. When I was advancing this show, everyone kept telling me, it's a twisty drive from Roanoke to here, but it's beautiful, having done it about 4 times now I can say that they weren't kidding!
We had some delays with Delta getting here (how do you just cancel a flight for no apparent reason? Really?!?), but everyone has been in great spirits about it, even though Sam and Tanya had to spend the night in Atlanta. Now that we are here we are so grateful. We were put up in the Manor house on the property of Garth Newel, and what a jewel it is!! Not only is it enormous, but the festival was just down the hill from us. Couldn't have been more convenient!

That's our pad for this gig, the big white house up on the hill there! I know I always talk about food on our blog, but a lot like a family we like to break our bread together, and I have to give props to the hospitality people at this festival. The kitchen was full with food (delicious BBQ for dinner..) and anything we could have wanted for the two nights we were here and it was just amazing! Thanks so much you guys for EVERYTHING!!!!

It almost started raining during our set, but Ruthie and the band managed to hold it off. We also got to hang with some old friends, the Holmes Brothers and Marcia Ball. It really was a beatuiful day!

Haddy gets so happy! I love it!!!

Our set list today:

Up Above My Head
Fruits of My Labor
Runaway Soul
I Really Love You
When It Don't Come Easy
(You Keep Me) Hangin On
Real Love
Truth
Travelin' Shoes

It rocked, and they had the whole field up and dancin!
I have to do that windy road again tomorrow.. so I need some beauty rest, night all! See ya on the road!!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

5/23/2010 Seattle, WA The Triple Door

2010-05-24T08:14:41Z

5/23/2010 Seattle, WA The Triple Door

It was totally an early morning today, and the running joke going on all day is that all of us have lost our minds a little bit. I thought I forgot my credit card at the airport, Tanya thought she forgot her shoes and it turns out she didn't wear them today, Scottie cracked his head on the door to the minivan, and Sam couldn't figure out how to get her door shut..if it's not one thing.. I think the sleep deprivation has gotten to us all! Rock and Roll!!! If we weren't so tired I would have made the band come down to the Pikes Market and get some cheese and coffee, but I know everyone wanted to rest after our weekend of sight seeing in Juneau.

We were so grateful to come back to the Triple Door, what an amazing club it is! I hope everyone from Seattle knows what a gem this place is.. Not to mention the food is FANTASTIC!

Our set list tonight:

Up Above My Head
Another Rain Song
Richland Women Blues
Small Town Blues
When It Don't Come Easy
I Really Love You
Ocean of Tears
Runaway Soul
Hole In My Pocket
Phenomenal Woman
People Grinnin In Your Face
Real Love
Stone Love

Encore:
Travelin Shoes

We were so glad to be here tonight, it was such a magical evening! I get to spend a couple more days here with my dear friends Conor and Juli, but I have to be up early to get the band to the airport. We are off for a couple weeks, our next show is in Warm Springs, VA, on June 12.. Come out and see us!
Night all!!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

5/22/2010 Juneau Jazz and Classics, Blues Cruise

2010-05-24T07:54:19Z

5/22/2010 Blues Cruise, Juneau Jazz and Classics

I think that it's impossible to have a bad day here. Every where you look, it's just gorgeous. There's no describing it. Our walk to breakfast today, was stunning, and everyone from here kept saying how we lucked out with the weather too, the sun was shining and it was crisp out.

That's just from our walk to breakfast. Ridiculously beautiful.. that's all I can say about that.
We decided to take a tram up the mountain to check out Juneau from above, and that too was just incredible.

The ladies and Hal, who was so generously showing us around all weekend, posed for a picture for me at the top of the mountain.

So, after our excursion we embarked upon our blues cruise for the evening, and again, there's nothing bad to say about this boat and where we got to go in it. Ruthie kept saying Magnificent, and I couldn't agree more! We have NEVER played in a more panoramic setting than this and we got to do 2 sets! It was amazing!!

That's one of our sound guys, Steve and me, they were amazing too!!! There really isn't ANYTHING about this that wasn't great!!

Our set list for the first show:

Woke Up This Morning
Runaway Soul
Up Above My Head
Richland Women Blues
Smalltown Blues
Fruits of My Labor
I Really Love You
When It Don't Come Easy
Walk On

The Second Show:

Up Above My Head
Another Rain Song
Cuz I'm Here
Hole In My Pocket
Stone Love
Truth
Ocean Of Tears
(You Keep Me) Hangin' On
Heal Yourself
Real Love
Full Circle

It really was amazing and because we are leaving at 730am tomorrow for a gig in Seattle, come out and see us, I am going to bed now.. it's been a sensory overload kind of day. But I will leave you wtih a sunset shot from the boat that I got, and again.. enough said!

Night all!
~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

5/21/2010 Juneau Jazz and Classics day one

2010-05-22T08:45:35Z

5/21/2010 Juneau, Alaska Centennial Hall

This is a beautiful and magical place. Today we got to have a wonderful trip to the Mendenhall Glacier, in Juneau. I've never seen a glacier before, they are totally incredible! It was an amazing hike we had before the gig today, and its just gorgeous here!

Wow. It was just breathtaking. Stunning, one of my favorite tour adventures EVER!!!
So, after our wonderful morning of nature, we went and had lunch at a place here in Juneau called the Twisted Fish (does that sound right up our alley or what?!?), and it is my culinary selection for the day, just delicious! Scottie got some king crab legs that were ENORMOUS and totally delicious looking! I can also recommend the twisted garlic bread, holy cow, like nothing I've ever eaten before! Awesome!

So when we got to the venue, we found that they had really out done themselves for our green room, and I had to take a picture of it, it was just beautiful! We could totally get used to this 5-star treatment!

And we played a show tonight. The sound was fantastic, thank you guys, and between the chairs in the hall there's a huge dance floor. It's awesome, people dancing all night! I loved it!!

Any night that people are dancing all night to the Family Band's music is a great night!

Our set list tonight:

Up Above My Head
Another Rain Song
Fruits of My Labor
Runaway Soul
I Really Love You
Small Town Blues
You Keep Me Hangin On
Turn Me On
Hole In My Pocket
Joy (w/ Tanya on Violin and Scottie On Mandolin)
Woke Up This Morning
Real Love
Travelin Shoes
Encore:
No Woman No Cry/ Three Little Birds

I was almost in tears tonight, that's how good this show was, and we get to have TWO more tomorrow, I think the air here has this band completely rockin!!!

And the Jet Lag from yesterday's 15 hour travel day from Tampa has finally sunk in, so I must sleep now. But I will post again from Alaska tomorrow. Night all!
~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

5/15/2010 Ybor City, FL

2010-05-17T22:25:59Z

5/15/2010, Tampa, FL Tropical Heatwave

Yesterday was a great day. The photo shoot was awesome, even in the Florida heat! I can't wait to see how they turned out! My aunt threw a party for us in St. Petersburg afterward at her place on the bay. The food was plentiful, spirits were abundant and great times were had by all! Thanks Auntie Doe!

I like being on the road, but I really like playing in my home town, I have to say. It's wonderful sleeping in my own bed and getting up for work that way. Kinda silly, I know, but very awesome. The show today went great and the heat didn't seem to slow anyone down at all!

Our set list tonight:

Up Above My Head
Fruits of My Labor
Runaway Soul
(You Keep Me) Hangin On
I Really Love You
When It Don't Come Easy
Joy (w/ Tanya on Violin)
Woke Up This Morning
Phenomenal Woman
People Grinnin In Your Face
Heal Yourself
Travelin Shoes

Encore:
Real Love

I have to give a shout out here to Melissa who spent the last two days following us around with her camera, great job mama! Love you, mean it! And a HUGE thanks to Lori, Ruthie's Social Networking guru who came down for vacation and ended up catching everything I dropped the ball on... you rock too!!

So we are off to Alaska next, the great white north.. we might even cliimb a glacier.... hmmm...
Hope to see you guys on the road!

~~ Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

5/13/2010 Orlando, FL

2010-05-17T22:06:02Z

5/13/2010 Orlando, FL The Plaza Theater

This is a cool venue. When you drive up, you aren't sure what to expect, but it really is neat. Kind of tucked away in a shopping plaza, its very unexpected to find a multi space venue that's had some of the greats there! AWesome!!

My sister, Susan, decided to come over and sell merch for us at this gig. I love it when my family makes time to come see what we do on the road. It's so nice to have home town people around! Thanks Fooh!

Our set list tonight:

Fruits of My Labor
Up Above My Head
Runaway Soul
I Really Love You
Another Rain Song
When It Don't Come Easy
Richland Women Blues
Small Town Blues
Hole In My Pocket (w/ Tanya on Violin and Scottie on Mandolin)
Joy (w/ Tanya on Violin)
You Keep Me Hangin On
Stone Love
Travelin Shoes

Encore;
Woke Up This Morning

It was a very special and intimate evening. Tomorrow we are off and on our way to Tampa Bay for a photo shoot and dinner at my Aunt's house! I love playing at home!!!

See ya at Tropical Heatwave on Saturday!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

5/2/2010 New Orleans, LA

2010-05-17T21:46:53Z

5/2/2010 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

It's amazing what a few hours of sleep will do to a person! I felt so refreshed today! I have been looking forward to this gig in particular since it was booked, I have tried to come to this festival for years, and it never worked out before this day. So exciting! I know the band and Katie were stoked too!!!

It has been raining all day, so we were prepared after our Mudfest yesterday. Panchos and rain boots, we have.

The crowd was amazing! Such energy zipping around the festival, it was like nothing I've ever experienced! A beautiful afternoon, even with the rain.

Our set list today:

Up Above My Head
Fruits of My Labor
Runaway Soul
I Really Love You
Stone Love
Phenomenal Woman
People Grinnin In Your Face
Woke Up This Morning
Joy (w/ Tanya on Violin)
Travelin Shoes

It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. I can't say enough about it.. really a highlight of my career!

We are off for a couple of weeks now, but hopefully we will catch some of you in Orlando and Tampa in the middle of the month! Until then, night all!

~~ Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

5/1/2010 Memphis, TN

2010-05-17T21:30:16Z

5/1/2010 Memphis in May(Mud), Memphis, TN

This is the view of the sunset during our set over the Mississippi River.. Beautiful!

It's a crazy run we have this weekend. It's weekends like this that really make me feel like we are total rock stars, just cause of the craziness of it all. We flew into a very rainy and overcast Memphis this morning, and after a delicious lunch on Beale St. headed to the festival. A couple of years ago I toured with the North Mississippi Allstars and I was chatting with them this morning, and they told me the down low about this festival, it's "unofficial" name is Memphis in Mud, and now I know what they meant by that.

But other than our van getting COMPLETELY stuck in the mud, it was an awesome evening. We were clowning around while we waited to get our van pulled out of the mud

On stage before us was our buddy Alvin Youngblood Hart, and he was AWESOME! So great to see him!!! The Allstars were playing when we pulled in, it was like another homecoming for us! Also, we had some ribs here at Blues City Cafe like I've never experienced before, holy cow. It was praise worthy!!!

Our set list this evening:

Up Above My Head
Fruits of My Labor
Runaway Soul
i Really Love You
Woke Up This Morning
Phenomenal Woman
People Grinnin In Your Face
Travelin Shoes

It was stupendous.

We play New Orleans Jazz Fest tomorrow, yes, we drove here tonight, so I should hit the hay. Plus, my alarm from yesterday morning is ringing on my phone, that means I've been up for 24 hours straight! OH MY, we are total rock stars!

Hopefully we will see you tomorrow at the signing tent after our set!

~~ Night all, Lauren Ruthie's tour manager

4/24/2010 Baton Rouge Blues Festival, Baton Rouge, LA

2010-04-26T21:08:55Z

4/24/2010 Baton Rouge Blues Festival, Baton Rouge, LA

Whoo!!! What an amazing city this is! All of us made it unscathed, albeit a little tired! It's so great to have Hadden and Scottie with us! I promised I would post this silly picture of Scottie and I since there aren't that many of me on this blog, and LOTS of silly pics of the band.. We were tired at the airport this morning!

I haven't been here in years, and admittedly, I don't remember much of my previous trips due to the total amount of partying that was done here, but this really is a great city. To continue our culinary journal (with some shows thrown in there :)), I have to say that if you are ever in this city there are TWO resturants where you HAVE to eat!

Before the festival we went to a place near our hotel called TJ Ribs, and it was incredible! When you walk in you can smell the ribs cooking, it made the entire band's mouth water! This place has been around for 25 years, the waiter was telling us, and it's a Baton Rouge staple, so check it out.

The festival itself was really great too! It was in the downtown area near the river and centered near a giant fountain. There were kids playing in the water, trying to keep cool, because wow it was hot! I got some great shots of the band playing..

Our set list tonight:

Up Above My Head
Fruits Of My Labor
Runaway Soul
I Really Love You
When It Don't Come Easy
Hole In My Pocket (w/ Tanya on Violin and Scottie on Mandolin)
Joy (w/ Tanya on Violin)
Woke Up This Morning
Phenomenal Woman
People Grinnin In Your Face
Truth
Encore:
Real Love

It was a stupendous evening/afternoon! Johnny, Merle and everyone at the Blues Festival rocked! Thanks again everyone for all of your help and support!

So after the show, we ate dinner at what might be my favorite resturant ever, called Boutins. I have to tell you the dining experience was amazing.. as was the food! Sam really wanted Crawfish, since we are in Louisiana and she has a great affection for crusteacean, so we found this place. We walked in and there was a cajun/creole band playing and people of all ages were coupled off dancing in the middle of the dining room. It was just incredible. Amazing food, amazing energy.. and since I left my camera at the hotel, Scottie got some pictures with his fancy i-phone of it for us...

I can't recommend this place enough.. the food was great, the service was friendly and fast, and people were dancing in the dining room! Awesome!

We have another silly 7am flight out of town tomorrow and I am very full and tired, but next week we will be at the Beale St. Music Festival in Memphis on 5/1 and the New Orleans Jazz Festival on 5/2, so please come by and say hi! See y'all on the road!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

4/23/2010 Scottsdale, AZ McDowell Mountain Music Festival

2010-04-26T20:38:19Z

4/23/2010 McDowell Mountain Music Festival, Scottsdale, AZ

What beautiful weather we are having here! Its not hot at all, and Arizona is a bit famous for it's heat, so we really lucked out today! We've got Scottie with us today and when we go to Baton Rouge tomorrow, we will have the WHOLE family band, because Hadden is joining us! It rules!

This festival is really cool, they've brought in astroturf/fake grass and parked a stage in the middle of a parking lot. Awesome! I've never seen anything like it! There was definately great energy all around us today..

Our Set list tonight:

Up Above My Head
Fruits Of My Labor
Small town Blues
Richland Women Blues
Stone Love
When It Don't Come Easy
Real Love
Phenomenal Woman
People Grinnin In Your Face
Heal Yourself

What a beautiful evening! Thanks to everyone at the festival for their wonderful hospitality! We have a 5am flight tomorrow to Baton Rouge, so I need to sign off now.. but hopefully we will see you there! This is rock and roll!!!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

4/16/2010 Driftwood, TX Old Settlers Music Festival

2010-04-19T19:08:14Z

4/16/2010 Driftwood, TX Old Settler's Music Festival

Its been a little rainy here, but I think that worked a little to our advantage, it keeps the dust down! This is a great festival! We arrived around 5pm to this lovely forest like backstage area, and were greeted with warm Texas hospitality!
I also got to have lunch today at my favorite Austin hang, Chuys.. Delicious!
Haddy joined us for this gig too, and it is always a pleasure hanging out with him, and I love watching him play with the ladies, so much energy and bouncing around on stage! Its just great!!!

They totally had the crowd on their feet!

Our set list tonight:

(You Keep Me) Hangin On
Up Above My Head
Fruits of My Labor
Small Town Blues
Woke Up This Morning
People Grinnin In Your Face
Joy (w/ Tanya on violin)
Truth
Real Love

Encores:
When it Don't Come Easy
Heal Yourself
Travelin Shoes

Another spectacular evening in Texas.. Love it here!

I'm off to bed, now, I'm finally going home tomorrow to sleep for a few days! We play Scottsdale, AZ on 4/23 and Baton Rouge, LA on 4/24 and I hope to see you out there!

Night!
~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

4/13/2010 Joe's Pub, NYC

2010-04-19T18:57:32Z

4/13/2010 Joe's Pub, NYC

I used to live in New York City, and playing here always feels a little like coming home. Ruthie used to live here too and we are both nostalgic for our former stomping ground. The energy here is so great, like a constant kick drum playing your favorite beat. I totally miss it, and I think Ruthie does too, at times.
We also tonight had my dear friend Eric run sound for us, and the show sounded amazing tonight, thanks again Eric!
I got some great shots of the ladies on stage..

Our set list tonight:

Up Above My Head
When It Don't Come Easy
Small Town Blues
Richland Women Blues
Lost In the City
Fruits of My Labor
Runaway Soul
People Grinnin In Your Face
Joy (w/ Tanya on violin)
Travelin Shoes

Encore:
Oh Susannah (w/ Tanya on violin)
(You Keep Me) Hangin On

It was an evening of great songs, friends, family and good times! Joe's Pub rules as does NYC!
We are off to the airport early.. so I am off to bed. We will see you guys in Driftwood, TX on Friday the 16th, though.. for another fantastic Ruthie Foster Family Band show. See you guys on the road!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

4/11/2010 Brownfield, ME

2010-04-19T18:43:58Z

4/11/2010 Brownfield, ME The Stone Mountain Arts Center

The ladies and I feel very fortunate to have been able to play this place. When we were in Australia we played a club called Lizottes, where we had a fantastical experience with the food, the venue, and the area. The Stone Mountain Arts Center, and their Staff (thanks again for EVERYTHING Carol!!!), had me feeling as though we were back in Australia at one of my favorite gigs of all time (and Carol, the owner's never been to Lizottes, which is very cool and magical that two places have the same vibe but are on opposite ends of the planet)... only we were in Maine!
This venue, I could rave and rave about for days, we had such an incredible evening here and I can only tell them thanks so so so much for everything! If you are anywhere near this area, you MUST come see a show here, it is an incredible place! Who knew in the middle of (literally) the woods in Maine, there would be this fantastic venue!

Because of the food obsession we have, I took a picture of the cake that they had for us.. AND it was delicious.

Our set list here:

Up Above My Head
Another Rain Song
Small Town Blues
Richland Women Blues
When It Don't Come Easy
Runaway Soul
Woke Up This Morning
Hole In My Pocket (w/ Tanya on violin)
Joy (w/ Tanya on violin)
Stone Love
People Grinnin In Your Face
(You Keep Me) Hangin On
Truth
Ocean of Tears
Travelin Shoes

Encore:
Oh Susannah (w/ Tanya on violin)
Phenomenal Woman

It really was a great show, and the ladies couldn't stop playing! Awesome!
We are off to NYC Tomorrow, and we play Joe's Pub on 4/13, so come by and help us name Ruthie's guitar!
Good night Maine, we will miss you!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

4/10/2010 Rockland, Maine The Strand Theater

2010-04-11T04:08:02Z

4/10/2010 Rockland, Maine The Strand

It was a very long drive today, and I lost my brain somewhere after we got off the interstate and had to do 50 miles of route 1 up here to Rockland, but on the upside, it is just stunning here!

If you've been keeping up with us through this blog, then you know that we are pretty big into food, in general, but my favorite thing is finding a little local gem of a place in a random city and having a culinary experience there. Rockland, Maine didn't let us down tonight! We had dinner down the road from the theater at the Rockland Cafe, and it was superb. I am a clam chowder connoisseur, and the cup I had today was in the top three of the chowder's I have EVER had! I can't wait to see what their breakfast has to offer in the morning....

And, of course, Sam got to have her lobster, I recommend looking back at the Australia part of our blog referencing Sam's passion for crustacean...

Seriously, I have a whole series of these, it's really funny!

And again, Ruthie and the Family Band rocked and rolled Maine! Ruthie and the ladies have played here before, but I hadn't and it's such a great venue! Thanks Paul for bringing us back and taking such great care of us while we are here!

Our set list tonight:

Up Above My Head
Fruits of My Labor
Another Rain Song
Small Town Blues
Richland Women Blues
Stone Love
Harder Than The Fall
When It Don't Come Easy
Keep Me Hangin On
Real Love
People Grinnin In Your Face
Hole In My Pocket
Travelin Shoes

Encore:
Oh Susannah

I know that I felt very grateful to be part of this special evening, and I believe the audience did too.. Rockland, Maine rocks!!!
We are off to Brownfield tomorrow, come and see us. And don't forget to stop by the merch table and tell us what you think Ruthie should name her guitar!!

Night all! See ya on the road!

~~ Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

4/9/2010 New Paltz, NY Blues at Mohonk

2010-04-10T04:29:10Z

4/9/2010 New Paltz, NY Blues at Mohonk

This was view from our hotel today. Here's some more..

This resort is incredibly peaceful and enlightening. Many conclusions came to me here and one day I hope to return, it's my pleasure. The food here is also terrific, our server got a great shot of all of us at dinner tonight

We want to come back here again and again!!!

Oh yeah, and we played a show too... :) Ruthie keeps making fun of me cause I ususally blog about the food, or the drive, the weather.. So tonight we played a ballroom. This resort is over 100 years old, and it's so cool to think about the parties of past days that might have been thrown here. I got a few decent pictures of them tonight.. What a great sounding room!

Our set list tonight:

Up Above My Head
When It Don't Come Easy
Small Town Blues
Richland Women Blues
Runaway Soul
Woke Up This Morning
(You Keep Me) Hangin On
Walk On

Encore:
Home
Oh Susannah

It's a magical place, and a magical evening. If you ever get a chance to come here, I totally 100% recommend it.. Please!
We are driving to Maine tomorrow, so I am off to bed. It's late! Hopefully we will get some good names for Ruthie's guitar while we are there.. they are piling up!! Give it your best shot!
Night all! Have a blessed and peaceful evening!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

4/8/2010 Trenton, NJ Patriots Theater

2010-04-09T03:52:17Z

4/8/2010 Trenton, NJ Patriots Theater

What a unique evening we had tonight! The show was called On Patriot Stage with Host Woody Mann (who is awesome by the way!), and it literally was set up ON the stage! The ladies played tonight with their backs to where the audience would traditionally sit, and there were risers set up all over the rest of the stage where the audience did sit facing the empty auditorium and the band! How cool is that?! It really made for a unique evening.
The ladies and I, by the way, ate at a delicious Jamacian resturant down the street from the venue tonight, it was fantastic! I totally recommend the curry chicken.. so delicious!

Our set list:

Up Above My Head
Fruits of My Labor
Another Rain Song
Runaway Soul
Woke Up This Morning
When It Don't Come Easy
Hole In My Pocket (w/ Tanya on Violin)
Joy (w/ Tanya on Violin)
Ocean of Tears
Stone Love
People Grinnin in Your Face
Full Circle

Encore:
Harder Than the Fall
Truth

It's so great to be with Sam and Tanya again! There was so much love in that room tonight! Don't forget to come see us at the merch table with your name for Ruthie's guitar!
Night all, hope to see you in New Paltz tomorrow!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

4/7/2010 Wolftrap, Vienna, VA

2010-04-08T04:56:54Z

4/7/2010 Vienna, VA Wolftrap

I don't want to jinx the rest of our tour, but the weather here in the DC area has just been GORGEOUS! Hot and sunny all day and breezy and warm at night, it's been a delight!
Ruthie's never played Wolftrap before, and neither had I, it is a gem! For those of you in this area I recommend seeing a show here at the Barns when you can, it really is a fantastic room to see live music in! The sound was incredible tonight and Ruthie just looked amazing up there on that stage!

Our set list:

Up Above My Head
Small Town Blues
Fruits of My Labor
Runaway Soul
Woke Up This Morning
People Grinnin in Your Face
Harder Than The Fall
Travelin Shoes
When It Don't Come Easy
Lost In The City
Walk On

Encore:
Oh Susannah

I can't rave enough about the staff at Wolftrap either! They were so professional and great to work with, have us back please!!! Thanks again for everything...

All in all, a good time was had by everyone! Tanya and Sam are waiting for us in Trenton, NJ and I can't wait to see them for lunch tomorrow, so I should call it a night tonight.

Oh, and by the way, Ruthie wants to name her guitar that she's playing on the road and she needs your help! Come out to a show this week and see us at the merch table and give us the name you think the guitar should have. We will announce on Facebook what the name is after our show on 4/13 at Joe's Pub in NYC!

Off to bed for the night, hope to see some of you this week on the road! Night all!

~~ Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

4/6/2010 Ramshead Tavern, Annapolis, MD

2010-04-07T04:21:38Z

4/6/2010 Annapolis, MD Ramshead Tavern

We are tired! My day started at 4am, thanks again to my sister Susan for the lift to the airport this morning.. whoo that was early!
I am so grateful, however that both Ruthie and I made it here unscathed, however sleep deprived we are. This is so rock and roll!

What a beautiful city Annapolis is, and Ruthie was reminiscing all night about her Navy days, after seeing all the people in their dress whites all around the town. We had coffee at a lovely little place down the road from the Tavern tonight before sound check and since it was so warm it seemed as though the downtown area of Annapolis was booming!

I got some good shots of Ruthie, I have to say, and I know that I say this a lot, but it is so cool working with these ladies, and even cooler that Ruthie and her music is so versatile. It's been a while since I've seen her do anything solo, and even solo she rocked the house!!

Our set list tonight:

Another Rain Song
Fruits of My Labor
Small Town Blues
Hole In My Pocket
When It Don't Come Easy
Woke Up This Morning
People Grinnin In Your Face
Runaway Soul
Full Circle
Light Up The World
Ocean Of Tears
Travelin Shoes

And it really did, I feel blow the roof off of the place... I see this every night, it was a splendid evening. Tomorrow we play another solo gig with John Hammond, at Wolf Trap, and Thursday we meet up with Sam and Tanya for some more shows in the North East.. Until tomorrow, I bid you good evening, hopefully we will see you this week!!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

3/27/2010 Suwannee Music Festival, Live Oak, FL

2010-04-05T20:56:47Z

3/27/2010 Suwannee Music Festival, Live Oak, FL

Finally we are in MY neck of the woods!!!
It is simply a beautiful Florida spring day and perfect for two sets of Ruthie Foster and the Family Band! We decided to stay in Gainesville instead of Live Oak, it's where I went to college (and lived for ten years!). Really its a ploy to get the band some Gator Gear, to start football season early and right this year :)
We did have another delicious breakfast at Iveys, one of my favorite Gainesville breakfasts.. the coffee there is AMAZING. I started snapping the pictures early..

It was about an hour drive to the festival, and what an awesome place we are playing today. It's an enormous park, with multi stages all around, we got lost a couple of times just trying to find our first stage!

Our first Set tonight:

When It Don't Come Easy
Fruits of My Labor
Runaway Soul
I Really Love You
Smalltown Blues
Richland Women Blues
Hole In My Pocket (w/ Tanya on violin and Scottie on Mandolin)
Stone Love
Woke Up This Morning

Our second set on the mainstage was equally as awesome..

Up Above My Head
Runaway Soul
Hangin On
Oh Susannah (w/ Tanya on violin)
Joy
People Grinnin in Your Face
Real Love
Truth

Encore:
Phenomenal Woman

It was a beautiful evening, really.

They just have so much fun onstage together, it's infectious, in a good way..
I made it home finally after a 5 hour drive in the rain, and I am tired now. Ruthie and I leave on the 6th for a couple of solo dates in Maryland and Virginia, so maybe we will see you on the road? We meet up with the band on the 8th in Trenton to do a north eastern tour of sorts, so I hope we do see you in the coming weeks...
For now, night, and we'll see y'all on the road!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

3/20 & 21 Savannah, GA Savannah Music Festival

2010-04-05T20:15:54Z

3/20/2010, Savannah, GA The Savannah Music Festival

I grew up in Florida, and have been coming up to Savannah since I was a little girl. This is totally one of those cities that has it's own energy to it. Almost like it has a life and a spirit of it's own. We've embraced this city the past weekend, and I think all of us want to move here, especially Scottie who left the great white north for Savannah's warm embracing weather.

We actually had the unique experience of getting to stay here for THREE nights! It never happens on the road for us, so this was a joy and a treat!

Our first set list:

Up Above My Head
Fruits of My Labor
I Really Love You
Runaway Soul
Hole In My Pocket (w/ Tanya on Violin and Scottie on Mandolin)
Richland Women Blues
Walk On

Set #2:

Up Above My Head
Another Rain Song
Small Town Blues
Hangin On
Joy (w/ Tanya on Violin)
Phenomenal Woman
People Grinnin in your Face
Mama Said
Stone Love
Travelin Shoes

Encore:
Truth

3/21/2010

I have to shamelessly plug our breakfast place here, it is so delicious!! B. Matthews, if you are EVER in Savannah, you have to check it out. We've eaten here both mornings so far, and will eat here again tomorrow when we leave! I had a brunch like no other here this morning, and if you have read this blog before, you know I love my brunches..

Our set lists today:

When It Don't Come Easy
Fruits of My Labor
Runaway Soul
Hangin On
I Really Love You
Woke Up This Morning
Joy (w/ Tanya on violin)

#2
Up Above My Head
Smalltown Blues
Hole In My Pocket (w/ Tanya on violin and Scottie on mandolin)
Ricland Women Blues
Beaver Creek Blues
Phenomenal Woman
People Grinnin In Your Face
Another Rain Song
Heal Yourself
Oh Susannah (w/ Tanya on violin)
Encore:
You Send Me

Both shows both days were awesome. This festival is really amazing, and its crew were stellar. They really made us feel at home and welcome in this magical little city. Please have us back!!!

Night all!

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

3/13/2010 All Souls Acoustic Coffee House, Tulsa, OK

2010-04-05T18:29:21Z

3/13/2010 Tulsa, OK All Souls Acoustic Coffee House

It was a very windy drive today. The wind really DOES whip across the plains here, like nobody's business, and nothing I've ever seen before. Our 12-passenger van was rockin, not just cause of the tunes playing either!

I had never been to Tulsa before, and this city is just charming. There's beautiful old buildings mixed in with new modern ones, and a gorgeous river that wraps around it.. it really is just lovely. We want a summer home here! And it's the eve of Samantha's Birthday, party tonight at midnight!

The band really was on fire tonight..

Our set list:

Up Above My Head
Another Rain Song
Smalltown Blues
Richland Women Blues
Hole In My Pocket (w/ Tanya on Violin and Scottie on Mandolin)
I Really Love You
Woke Up this Morning
People Grinnin in Your Face
Mama Said
Phenomenal Woman
Stone Love
Travelin Shoes

Encore:
Walk On

Awesome, is all I have to say, just awesome! We travel home tomorrow for a few days before we head out to Savannah, I hope to see some of y'all there!

Night,

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

3/12/2010 Norman, Oklahoma

2010-04-05T18:09:14Z

3/12/2010 The Sooner Theatre

We were blessed again with another travel day without incident. Scottie joined us this morning too, we are so stoked to see him again!!
I was told tonight by Jennifer, the Director of the Theatre here, that the day after Ruthie and the band played here last year, she called our booking agent and had to have us back for the show here tonight. How cool is that? What a beautiful theatre this is! And everyone here is so helpful! I hope we can come back again!

Just before the band went on, I started taking "red light" shots! Awesome!

I finally got a decent "spoons" shot!!!

Our set list tonight:

Up Above My Head
Fruits of My Labor
Smalltown Blues
Richland Women Blues
Hole In My Pocket (w/ Tanya on violin and Scottie on Mandolin)
Joy (w/ Tanya on violin)
Woke Up this Morning
When It Don't Come Easy
Stone Love
Truth
Ocean of Tears
Heal Yourself
Hangin On
People Grinnin in your Face
Travelin Shoes
Encore:

You Send Me
Full Circle

Again, I can't say thanks enough to the crew at the Sooner Theatre, it was really a special evening..
Off to Tulsa tomorrow

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager

3/11/2010 Fort Smith, Arkansas

2010-04-05T17:37:09Z

3/11/2010 Fort Smith, Arkansas

What beautiful weather we flew into today! It's sunny and crisp, just amazing! After a delicious lunch, we headed to sound check at the new facility of Second Street Live for sound check.
We are the first band to play in this hall and it's gorgeous, what an honor!
Got some great shots of the show

Our set list tonight:

Up Above My Head
Another Rain Song
Small Town Blues
Richland Women Blues
Hole In My Pocket (w/ Tanya on Violin)
When It Don't Come Easy
Woke Up This Morning

Intermissioni

People Grinnin in Your Face
Mama Said
Prayin For Rain
Stone Love
Ocean of Tears
LIght Up the World
Travelin Shoes
Encore:
Oh Susannah (w/ Tanya on Violin)
Truth

Really, it was a great sounding room, and a beautiful new hall that we were honored to be the first to play in for Second Street Live! Have su back!!

Off to Oklahoma tomorrow, see y'all on the road!

Night

~~Lauren, Ruthie's tour manager