It’s hard to believe that Miner’s Foundry in Nevada City has been presenting live music with great results since 1989. While it first opened as a business to produce molten and forged iron in 1859, currently the venue’s mission is geared toward hosting educational, artistic, and social gatherings and increasing its cultural imprint in the area.
The upcoming show with Triple Blues Music Award Winner Sue Foley proves that the venue still curates one of the best music calendars in the region. Foley will showcase her new album, ‘One Guitar Woman,’ on boutique label Stony Plain Records. Released in late March earlier this year, standout tracks include the album opener “Oh Babe It Ain’t No Lie” along with the equally compelling “Motherless Child Blues,” “La Malaguena,” and my favorite, “Freight Train.”
Other shows on Foley’s abbreviated 2024 itinerary include the Utah Blues Festival in Salt Lake City, the Chenango Blues Fest in Norwich, and headlining shows in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Washington DC.
For those who haven’t heard the 12-track opus, expect some beautifully crafted songs along with some awe-inspiring guitar picking. On her latest platter, she pays homage to blues guitar icons such as Elizabeth Cotten, Memphis Minnie French guitarist Ida Presti, Lydia Mendoza, Maybelle Carter, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and even Charo. Be sure to visit her Bandcamp page to stream and purchase the record at https://stonyplainrecords.bandcamp.com/album/one-guitar-woman.
We caught up with Sue in preparation for her run of shows across the US.
Rio Linda Online: How did the conversation go with your parents when you first picked up the guitar as a teenager? Any story you can tell us about your first guitar (s)?
Sue Foley: My parents weren’t surprised at all when I asked for my first guitar. We had guitars hanging all around the house as my dad played and so did my three older brothers. Guitars were part of our furniture and they were certainly a huge part of culture at the time as well. This was the era of 1970’s rock ‘n’ roll which was driven by bands like the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. Guitars were everywhere.
Rio Linda Online: Any story you can tell us about your first guitar?
Sue Foley: When I asked for my own at 13, my dad picked up one that no one was playing and gave it to me. “Here’s your guitar!” I was pretty lucky as it turned out to be a nice Epiphone acoustic that I used for several years. I eventually gravitated to a hollow body electric and then to a Fender Telecaster.
Rio Linda Online: How did you initially find out about the guitar greats you’re paying tribute to? Do you think female guitarists (or any instrument, for that matter) are marginalized today?
Sue Foley: As soon as I figured out that I was going to be a guitar player, I started looking for females who played. Circling back to the culture at the time, it was like guitars were everywhere. but always in the hands of men. Every single time I would see a woman holding one or playing, I made a mental note of it. The first woman I saw play the guitar was Charo who was on so many variety shows of the day. Charo was such a great entertainer that sometimes her guitar work was overshadowed by her performances. As a young girl, she always seemed so serious and accomplished. That really made a huge impact on me. Throughout the following years, I would make a mental note every time I saw a woman play. Memphis Minnie was also a huge icon for me. By the time I was 16, I knew I was going to be a blues guitar player. At the time, there weren’t a lot of women lead electric blues guitar players. Finding Memphis Minnie’s music made a huge impression on me.
Rio Linda Online: Do you think female guitarists are marginalized today?
Sue Foley: Throughout my career, I’ve always paid attention when I see a woman play. Today, we take for granted that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of women shredding on the guitar. However, when I was starting out, there were just a few. Being a traditional artist at heart made me want to focus on the pioneers who paved the way for all of us.
Rio Linda Online: Any tracks from ‘One Guitar Woman’ (a fabulous album title, BTW) that didn’t make the 12-song record? Any of them more difficult to record than the others?
Sue Foley: We didn’t leave much on the floor to be honest. There might’ve been one or two tracks that didn’t make the grade, but not too many. The more challenging tracks were the ones that were out of my wheelhouse musically like the classical piece, “Romance in A Minor” by Nicola Paganini. That took a while to get right. I am approaching this from the perspective of a blues guitarist, so even playing stuff like Flamenco and classical is a stretch for me. However, I was really satisfied I was able to pull it off decently. In context of the whole, it all makes sense and I’m pretty happy with the outcome.
The Sue Foley One Guitar Woman Solo Show takes place at Miner’s Foundry Cultural Center located at 325 Spring Street in Nevada City on Sunday, June 23rd. Doors open at 6:30pm and the show starts promptly at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased for $30 at https://minersfoundry.org in advance or at the door for $35.
Cover photo by Mark Abernathy
