Lavelle White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lavelle White
White performing in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Lillia Lavell White
Also known as	Miss La-Vell Lily Fields
Born	(1929-07-03) July 3, 1929 (age 96) Amite City, Louisiana, United States
Genres	Texas blues, soul blues, electric blues
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1950s–present
Labels	Various including Duke

Lillia Lavell "Lavelle" White (born July 3, 1929) is an American singer and songwriter. She is famous for her Texas blues and soul blues music. Lavelle White sang for many years before releasing her first album in 1994. She was 65 years old at that time.

Lavelle White's Early Life and Music Journey

Lavelle White was born in Amite City, Louisiana. Her parents were farmers who rented land and paid with a share of their crops. When she was 12, Lavelle started writing poetry. This soon led her to write songs and sing gospel music in church.

At age 15, Lavelle moved to Houston, Texas. There, she began performing in blues clubs. She often sang with guitarist Clarence Hollimon. Her big chance came when singer Johnny Copeland suggested her to Don Robey. Robey owned the Duke and Peacock music labels.

Becoming a Recording Artist

Lavelle White then became known as Miss La-Vell. Between 1958 and 1964, she recorded 14 songs for Duke Records. She released several singles, which are short recordings with one or two songs. Some of her popular songs included "If I Could Be with You" and "The Tide of Love."

Lavelle wrote many of her own songs. She has been writing music for most of her life. She even helped write Bobby Bland's hit song "Lead Me On" in 1960. However, her name was not on the song. Instead, a fake name, Deadric Malone, was used. Lavelle continued to perform in local shows until the late 1960s.

Lavelle White's Touring and Later Career

After her recording contract ended, Lavelle White traveled all over the United States. In the 1960s, she shared the stage with many famous musicians. These included Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, and Aretha Franklin.

In 1978, she moved to Chicago. There, she performed in different clubs and worked with blues legends like Junior Wells and Buddy Guy. Eight years later, she returned to Houston. Lavelle White was later named Houston's Blues Artist of the Year.

Finding a Home in Austin

She moved again and became a regular performer in Austin, Texas. She often sang at a famous club called Antone's.

Lavelle White's first album, Miss Lavelle, was released in 1994. This was her first recording in almost 30 years! She was 65 years old. In 1995, she performed at the San Francisco Blues Festival. She also sang at the Houston International Festival.

Her second album, It Haven't Been Easy, came out in 1997. Both of her first two albums featured guitar playing by Clarence Hollimon, her old bandmate. In the same year, Lavelle appeared on the TV show Austin City Limits with Delbert McClinton. Her third album, Into the Mystic, was released in 2003.

Awards and Recognition

Lavelle White has been nominated many times for a Blues Music Award. In 2006, she was honored by being added to the Texas Music Hall of Fame. In the same year, her band was voted the Best Blues Band in The Austin Chronicle Music Awards. Lavelle White also performed at the Ponderosa Stomp music festival.

Lavelle White's Music Albums

Studio Albums

Compilation Albums

See also

• List of Texas blues musicians
• List of soul-blues musicians
• List of electric blues musicians
• List of Austin City Limits performers