Party: Beth Hart

Party: Beth Hart

Monqui and Double Tee Present

Beth Hart
SAT Sept 26
Roseland Theater
8:30pm, 21+

On-Sale FRI June 26 at 10 am

Some say there can be no artistry without agony. And the real life-changing events that shape the creative spirit don’t happen overnight.

Beth Hart has been dealing with demons that have pursued her for her whole life: her older sister who died from complications from AIDS when Beth was only 20 and her own battle with drugs, booze, bad relationships, bad decisions and ultimately the diagnosis that tied the knot on the whole damn thing, bi-polar disorder. It’s enough to send anyone into a downward spiral that’s inescapable.

And on face value, her new album, Better Than Home, is saying, “anything is better than those demons, so I’m gonna go out of my way to create something better than that.”

But, hold on for a minute, what’s been so bad about Beth’s life so far? Okay, she’s had issues, but look what she did in spite of them.

After her close friend and manager, David Wolff, saw her performing on the streets of LA, she got her record deal with Atlantic in a matter of weeks. What did they all see that even Beth sometimes didn’t? Why did three of the most successful producer-icons in the music business, David Foster, Hugh Padgem and Mike Clink, agree to work together on her debut album, Immortal? They all heard the same thing: a voice that inspires you, transforms you and takes you to the very depths of the human soul.

Her second album, Screamin’ For My Supper, with more than half the songs written solely by Beth herself, produced the hit single, L.A. Song (Out Of This Town). The single reached #6 in the Billboard Modern AC chart and #7 in the Adult Top 40 chart.

On the tour that followed, she met Scott Guetzkow, who was a drum technician, and later became her road manager. Anytime Beth would fall down, Scott, her “rock”, was there to help her up. And, as this bond grew, so did their feelings for each other, and they got married.

And when good things happen, better things follow. Her third album, Leave The Light On, was a critical success in the U.S., went platinum and the single Learning To Live reached #1 in Denmark. It marked the beginning of Europe’s love affair with her that’s still going strong.

Her first live album was recorded in Amsterdam. Live At Paradiso has survived the test of time and it is still one of the most talked-about Beth Hart performances.

37 Days was recorded live with her touring band at the time. The album was recorded and mixed over a period of 37 days; hence the title. It produced a #1 single in Denmark: As Good As It Gets.

Not only did she get the European audience’s attention, but also the incomparable Jeff Beck, who invited her to tour with him as his lead singer on one of his US tours.

The production of My California led to Beth’s collaboration with lead guitar superstar: Slash. He played on the track, Sister Heroine, and then Beth co-wrote and sang the song Mother Maria, which was released on his own album. This was the beginning of a friendship and collaboration with Slash that saw them performing together a number of times.

The album Bang Bang Boom Boom, made it to #3 in the Billboard Top Blues Album chart and shortly thereafter, Beth was nominated for a Blues Music Award.

In addition to Beth’s solo albums, she has also recorded two albums with blues icon Joe Bonamassa: Don’t Explain and Seesaw. Seesaw was nominated for a Grammy and Beth was nominated for a Blues Music Award for her performance on that album. The album, as well, reached #1 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart, #8 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums Chart and #47 in the Billboard 200 Chart. The Don’t Explain album made it to #3 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart, #22 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart and into the Billboard 200.

The stage was now set for a life-changing musical event for Beth.

In 2012, Beth appeared with Jeff Beck at the Kennedy Center Honors to celebrate Buddy Guy and his remarkable musical legacy with a once-in-a-lifetime rendition of Etta James’ I’d Rather Go Blind. What followed was one of the only two standing ovations of the evening, led by President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle. If any of Beth’s demons were around that night, a few million television viewers were completely unaware of it.

This performance also led to collaboration with Beth and Buddy Guy; she sang on his new album Rhythm & Blues, another affirmation of Beth being regarded as one of the great vocalists of our times.

The producer of the Kennedy Center Honors, Michael Stevens, and the musical director, Rob Mathes, saw what people have been seeing for nearly 20 years: a woman who wears her soul on her sleeve and has the pipes to back it up. Michael and Rob decided to produce her new album, Better Than Home.