Denise LaSalle

Biography

Ora D. Allen (July 16, 1934 – January 8, 2018), known by the stage name Denise LaSalle, was an American blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, and record producer who, after the death of Koko Taylor, was acknowledged as the "Queen of the Blues". Her husband was rapper Super Wolf.
LaSalle's best-known songs were "Trapped by a Thing Called Love×Trapped by a Thing Called LoveMay 1972 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1Trapped by a Thing Called Love2:36A2Now Run and Tell That3:19A3Heartbreaker of the Year2:48A4Good Goody Getter3:19A5Catch Me If You Can3:03B1Hung Up, Strung Out2:37B2Do Me Right2:50B3The Deeper I Go (The Better It Gets)2:23B4If You Should Loose Me2:37B5Keep It Coming2:32B6It's Too Late3:10", "My Toot-Toot", "I'm So Hot×I'm So Hot1 January 1980 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1I'm So Hot4:572Try My Love5:093You'll Never Get Your Hooks in My Man5:204Tear for Tear4:105Giving Up4:356Come Ta Ya Ha Dance (We Came to Earth to dance)5:407Sometimes4:398May the Funk Be With You4:54" and "Down Home Blues".

Early life

LaSalle, the youngest of eight children, was born Ora D. (or Ora Dee) Allen on July 16, 1934, near Sidon, Mississippi in an area then known as The Island, to Nathaniel A. Allen Sr. and Nancy Cooper. Her family worked as sharecroppers, and she had to pick cotton and take up other paid labor to support her family.
She was raised in Belzoni from age seven and sang in church choirs for local gospel groups around Leflore County. At age 13, she moved to Chicago to live with her oldest brother.

Career

She sat in with R&B musicians and wrote songs, influenced by country music as well as the blues. Around 1963, while she was working as barmaid at the Mix's Lounge, she met Billy "The Kid" Emerson, who at that time was working for Chess Records. This resulted in a one year recording contract with Chess; however, no recording sessions were done. Later on Emerson started his own label, Tarpon, and in 1967 he recorded LaSalle on his label. The single, "A Love Reputation", was a modest regional hit.
She established an independent production company, Crajon, with her then husband Bill Jones. Her song "Trapped By a Thing Called Love×Trapped by a Thing Called LoveMay 1972 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1Trapped by a Thing Called Love2:36A2Now Run and Tell That3:19A3Heartbreaker of the Year2:48A4Good Goody Getter3:19A5Catch Me If You Can3:03B1Hung Up, Strung Out2:37B2Do Me Right2:50B3The Deeper I Go (The Better It Gets)2:23B4If You Should Loose Me2:37B5Keep It Coming2:32B6It's Too Late3:10" (1971) was released on Detroit-based Westbound Records. This reached #1 on the national R&B chart and #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song ranked at #85 on the 1971 year-end chart. A RIAA gold disc award was made on November 30, 1971 for a million sales. Reviewing her 1972 debut album of the same name, Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981): "LaSalle seems to be a songwriter first and a singer second, which may be why there's a certain professional anonymity about her unusual moods. But the voice is there—sensual, warm, even wise, ideal for [producer] Willie Mitchell's meditative Memphis funk. And because she's a pretty good songwriter, just about every one of these twelve tracks offers its professional pleasures."
She also wrote successful follow-ups, "Now Run and Tell That" and "Man Sized Job", which made #3 and number 4 in the R&B top ten and also charted in the Hot 100. Her early hits were recorded at the Hi recording studios in Memphis, operated by Mitchell, using the best southern session players. She continued to have hits and made three albums on the Westbound label.
In 1976, she moved to Jackson, Tennessee and signed a contract with ABC Records. On ABC she had another hit, "Love Me Right×Love Me Right1992 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Don't Jump My Pony4:222Long Dong Silver4:183You Can't Get Nothin' Straight Between Us3:254Love Me Right3:455When We're Making Love3:316I'm Not That Knind Of Girl3:107Too Many Hungry Mouths Around The Table3:488One More Wrong Step4:009Fast Hands And A Dirty Mind4:4210Another One Bites The Dust4:0011Don't Pick It Up5:47" (#10 R&B, #80 pop). ABC was taken over by MCA, and LaSalle made three albums for MCA. Her 1979 album, "Unwrapped×Unwrapped23 April 1979 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracksA1Think About It5:26A2Keep on Dancin', Rock4:27A3A Miracle, You and Me3:30A4Too Little in Common to Be Lovers6:33B1Da Ya Think I'm Sexy5:14B2Medley: Make Me Yours, Precious Memories, Trapped by a Thing Called Love14:52" included a cover of Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy". In 1980, she released the "I'm So Hot×I'm So Hot1 January 1980 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1I'm So Hot4:572Try My Love5:093You'll Never Get Your Hooks in My Man5:204Tear for Tear4:105Giving Up4:356Come Ta Ya Ha Dance (We Came to Earth to dance)5:407Sometimes4:398May the Funk Be With You4:54" album which included another hit song she wrote, "Try My Love", which enjoyed considerable disco/dance club play in 1980. Super Wolf recorded rap song "Super Wolf Can Do It" also. She continued to perform live and to produce. Her co-penned song "Married, But Not to Each Other" was included on the 1979 compilation album The Best of Barbara Mandrell.
In 1982, LaSalle signed as songwriter for the Malaco label, where she wrote songs for Z.Z. Hill among others. She was then persuaded to also record herself; this resulted in the album Lady in the Street in 1983. She continued to record for Malaco for 15 years, and released a string of critically acclaimed albums, starting with Lady in the Street (1983) and Right Place, Right Time×Right Place, Right Time12 March 1984 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Right Place, Right Time4:172He's Not Available3:273Treat Your Man Like a Baby4:114Good Man Gone Bad4:055Boogie Man3:016Your Husband Is Cheating on Us4:397Why Does It Feel So Right3:418Keep Your Pants On3:469Bump and Grind3:4110Love School3:27 (1984). Her R&B, soul blues, and soul songs were played on urban radio stations in southern states. In 1985, she enjoyed her only recognition in the UK Singles Chart when her cover version of Rockin' Sidney's "My Toot Toot×My Toot Toot1985 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAMy Toot Toot4:18BGive Me Yo Most Strongest Whisky4:07" reached #6.
She appeared at the 1984 and 1993 versions of the Long Beach Blues Festival. In 1993, she also performed at the San Francisco Blues Festival. Her album, Smokin' in Bed×Smokin' in Bed4 March 1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Smokin' in Bed4:082Juke Joint Woman4:233Blues Party Tonight6:004If I Don't Holler5:355Goin' Through Changes6:086Five Below Zero5:257Never Been Touched Like This5:178Why Am I Missing You7:329The Night We Called It a Day4:0810Dirty Old Woman3:54 (1997), sold well.
LaSalle has in interviews stated that during the Westbound and ABC/MCA years she was free to record any song she liked, but at Malaco she was more limited. Malaco was a blues label, and wanted her to record mainly 'hard blues'.
After the Malaco years, LaSalle started her own label Ordena, and released a few albums, including God's Got My Back which is a gospel album, and This Real Woman×This Real Woman25 July 2000 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11This Real Woman5:282Lick It Before You Stick It4:453A Love Reputation3:454A Sexholic3:345I Just Wanna Make Love to You4:046In a Midnight Mood (In the Middle of the Day)5:057What Kind of Man Is This3:578Funky Blues Kinda Mood3:509Unlovable Habits4:1510This Real Woman3:10Disc 21If I’m Only for Myself (Who’s Gonna Be for Me)3:582When She Stops Asking3:583This Bedroom’s on Fire4:434Dreaming All Day5:055The Best of the Rest3:426Tell Him What You Want4:257I Fell in Love With Me4:308Down on Clinton2:589Trapped by a Thing Called Love2:3810God Is Absolutely Mad About You4:29 (2-CD set) which is a mixture of everything, it includes country, R&B, blues and pop.
In 2002, LaSalle was again recording for a new label, this time for Ecko Records, a small Memphis-based soul-blues label, the first album was Still the Queen×Still the Queen15 October 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1I'm Still the Queen4:592Dirty, Freaky Man5:183You Should Have Kept It in the Bedroom4:234What Kind of Man Is This3:565Funky Blues Kind of Mood3:516Cover It Up4:177Who Needs You3:288In a Midnight Mood (In the Middle of the Day)5:059Unlovable Habits4:1610There's No Separation6:23.
After more than a decade away, she returned to Malaco to release an album in 2010, titled 24 Hour Woman×24 Hour Woman2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Cheat Receipt2Home Wrecker3Too Many Women4(I'm A) 24-Hour Woman5If You Can't Keep It Up6Ride On7I'll Be Your Kitten, Baby8Three Is A Crowd9Older Woman10You Hit One Over The Fence11Let Make Love (Like It's The Last Time).
In 2011, she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.
LaSalle lived with her husband, James E. Wolfe, in Jackson, where she opened a restaurant called Blues Legend Café. The restaurant was located at 436 E. Main Street, but has since closed.

Personal life and death

LaSalle married Artic Craig, a co-worker of her brother A.J. at Campbell Soup, in 1956 when she was 22. LaSalle and Craig were together for only a short time, but did not formally end the marriage until right before she married her second husband, Bill Jones, in 1969. She and Jones divorced in 1974. Both of them collaborated in producing records, and they established an independent production company, Crajon Records. In 1977, she married James E. "Super Wolfe" Wolfe Jr. He was a disc jockey, ran several radio stations, became a preacher, and died in 2022. LaSalle had two children.
After suffering from heart problems, and with complications from a fall having resulted in her right leg being amputated in October 2017, LaSalle died surrounded by her family, at the age of 83, on January 8, 2018.

Legacy

In 2009, LaSalle was honored with a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail in Belzoni. In 2013 and 2014, she was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Soul Blues Female Artist' category. On June 6, 2015, LaSalle was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Compilation albums

1973: Doin' It Right
1985: My Toot Toot
1989: Holdin' Hands with the Blues
2001: I Get What I Want: Best of the ABC/MCA Years
2003: My Toot Toot: The Definitive Anthology
2013: Making A Good Thing Better - The Complete Westbound Singles 1970-76