LINDA WIGGINS
Southern born, but long time resident of the San Francisco Bay Area,
Linda Wiggins is on the short list of the Bay Area's best blues/ R&B
keyboard player/vocalists. She was born in Du
mas, Arkansas
(of infamous (Feb 24 07) tornado fame. Linda started playing piano at an
early age when her family moved to Texas. She's always kept the flavor of
her Southern roots, whether it is frying up okra or playing blues piano.
Her mother played piano in the church, as did Linda when she was a teenager,
beginning the development of her gospel piano technique. Listening to recordings
of the old masters like Jelly Roll Morton, Professor Longhair, as well as
later artists like Fats Domino and Ray Charles, Linda draws upon all in
her style of piano playing. A few years into her career, she started also
incorporating the Hammond B-3 organ. Linda says "whenever it came time
to move, my main concern was finding space to accommodate the B-3, rather
than being picky about roommates...."Yeah, I can be vegetarian, a dog
lover..whatever.". She recalls one night driving to a gig, up a particularly
steep San Francisco street, when she heard a scraping sound from the B-3
in the back of her van. Linda realized the "brakes" weren't set
on the organ dolly, and with a lot of sheer will, reached back and held
the contraption with one hand while she inched up to the hill top to turn
to a more hospitable flat street.
In the 1990's Linda put together a large R&B band called "Linda
Lou's Hipshakin' R&B Revue" covering lots of Etta James, Otis Redding,
and other old school R&B. She says it was a labor of love, writing horn
charts for about 80 of her favorite obscure R&B tunes . Mz. Dee and
Diane Swann both sang with that band. Linda also has a versatile band called
"Finesse", and she has a fair amount of solo gigs, too. She has
performed with or recorded with such local blues and R&B artists as
Mz Dee, Pamela Hawkins, Diane Swann (originally an Ikette with Ike &
Tina Turner), Calvin Tillery, Glenn Walters, Frank Biner and Linda Tillery.
In 2002 Linda completed a 3 week engagement at a Paris blues/R&B nightclub,
performing on B-3, piano and vocals, backing up Pamela Hawkins, along with
the French house musicians.....she says the Parisians call the music"Err
and Bay" (R&B) and the audiences were enthusiastic and welcoming.
At the end of 2004 she headlined at Biscuits and Blues in San Francisco.
In 2005, Linda performed a return engagement in Paris (working this time
with reknown blues artist Mz. Dee). In March, 2006 with her quartet and
Mz. Dee, Linda performed live on KGO Radio (San Francisco)...-KGO called
her to do a repeat engagement on KGO Radio March 2007 which did, having
the wonderful Bay Area jazz vocalist Frankye Kelly with the band. Recently,
she performed with famed saxophonist Jules Broussard in her jazz trio -
at Golden Gate Fields Turf Club in Berkeley. Earlier this year, she performed
a 1 month cruise (in a trio), a Caribbean itinerary --- on the Coral Princess.
She is currently working on a CD, to be released in late 2008, and continues
to play Bay Area clubs and private parties. Currently lining up possible
European engagements (also with Mz. Dee).
See below for Linda's current performance calendar through September
1, 2008. To check her availability for a specific date, email her at linda@finesseproductions.com
- Note: many performances are private.
CURRENT PERFORMANCE CALENDAR (Aug 8-Sept 1, 2008)
Linda (w/ band) Fri Aug 8 (8pm-12mid)
in Rockaway Beach at Nick's (w/ female voc Rita Lackey)(public)
Linda (solo) Sat Aug 9 (4-9:30pm) in
San Francisco -private
Linda (solo piano / voc ) Sun Aug 10 (5:30-8:30pm)
in Santa Rosa -at Stark's Steakhouse, 521 Adams St. (public)
Linda (solo piano / voc ) Wed Aug 13
(1-2pm) in Alameda - private
Linda (solo piano / voc) Thurs Aug 14 (6-9pm)
in Santa Rosa -at Stark's Steakhouse, 521 Adams St. (public)
Linda (solo piano) Fri Aug 15 (12noon-2pm)
in Oakland -private
Linda (solo piano) Sun Aug 17 (3:30-4:30pm)
in Sonoma (wedding ceremony) -private
Linda (solo piano ) Fri Aug 22 (5:30-7:30pm)
in San Pablo (wedding ceremony) - private
Linda (w/ band ) Fri Aug 22 (9:30pm-1:30am)
in Martinez (club -Ferry St. Station) -(public)
Linda (solo piano /voc) Sun Aug 24 (4-7pm)
in San Mateo (birthday party) - private
Linda (solo piano / voc ) Wed Aug 27 (1-2pm)
in Alameda - private
Linda (w/ band) Fri Aug 29 (8pm-12mid) in Oakland
(club The Warehouse -402 Webster St. (public)
Linda (w/ her band) Sat Aug 30 (6:30-10:30pm)
in Menlo Park (birthday party) -private
Linda (w/ her band) Sun Aug 31 (4:30 - 9pm)
in Santa Cruz (wedding) -private
Linda (w/ her band) Mon, Sept 1 (5-8pm) in
Walnut Creek (wedding) -private
Now booking 2008 & 2009 weddings and
parties
Finesse Productions
