DEDICATED to the blues and telling stories through song, Debbie Bond has toured the world to help enthuse others about the music she calls ‘medicine for the soul’.

Singer, guitar player and songwriter Debbie has paid her dues in the Alabama backwoods, backing many traditional Alabama blues musicians for over 30 years.

Now is her time time, and as the blues activist comes to Bridport Electric Palace for Blues Night: Debbie Bond & The Trudats on August 5, she’s been talking to us ahead of the show about just why she loves the blues so much.

Debbie said: “I feel that performing the blues is all about mining a groove and telling a story. It is a great emotional release.

“I love connecting with the audience - it is a very vulnerable thing opening your heart to complete strangers - but it is that amazing buzz of knowing that we all go through the same kinds of things.

She said: “I write my own songs and do my own thing, tell my story and I am influenced by a wide range of music including soul music.

“I believe blues is medicine for the soul and cathartic for all involved. I want people to be taken on a musical journey - my songs tell my own story - the highs, the lows, and the humour of the human experience.”

With the Alabama Blues Project, she took the blues to schools before returning to school herself in 2002 for an MA in American Studies, specialising in the blues.

Debbie said: “I have a great band with me. Radiator Rick is my partner - killer on the honky tonk New Orleans influenced keyboard and he is a smokin’ hot harmonica player.

“Sizzling saxman Ray Carless is as comfortable in blues, soul, or ska - I love performing with him.

“Our music is very improvisational.

“Micky Barker is stunning among the best of the UK drummers I have been lucky to hook up with - it is a gumbo soup of great musicians creating and doing our thing in the moment. I always look forward to that!

Her singing is compared to Bonnie Raitt, but the truth is Debbie does it her own way.

Her immersion in the blues has deeply flavoured her guitar playing, soulful voice and original song writing, yet her sound is contemporary and original and special, with her brilliant backing band accompanying her.

Debbie said: “Music is really an inexplicable magic.

“I feel pretty lucky to be getting to do this and being so well received here in the UK!”

*Blues Night: Debbie Bond & The Trudats at Bridport Electric Palace on August 5 at 8pm.