In 1993, at the record store, my coworkers and I fell in love with the music of a local blues singer by the name of Celinda Pink. A year or so went by and her career never really took off the way we felt she deserved. There was talk of too much drinking on her part, but I don't know if we ever really knew for sure why the big local buzz about her didn't seem to go beyond just buzz. We sure did sell a lot of her Victimized CD just by playing it in the store and she made the Billboard charts in both Blues and Country, but there was just one quiet followup CD a couple of years later and that was the last we heard from her.
Fast forward to tonight. I hadn't thought of Celinda Pink in a decade or more but my weird little brain that can't recall where I put the car keys five minutes ago all of a sudden brought her name front and center. I'm not sure what sparked my memory of her. One minute I was looking at John Hiatt and Little Village videos on YouTube, and then I found myself looking for the Web presence of one Celinda Pink.
Sadly, there's not much out there. I did, however, find a story on her in a Jacksonville, Florida paper. Alcohol, it turns out, was the major problem when she was best positioned for big fame. She lost her studio and management deal and pretty much gave it up. Now (well, the story dates back to April '07), she's waitressing in Jacksonville and playing when and where she can.
I hope she's doing well.. If we make the move to Florida this summer, I'll do my best to catch a live performance by Miss Celinda Pink. If you ever see her CD in a used record shop or find her name on the door of a club somewhere, please do yourself a favor and hear what she's got to share. I'm glad I remembered her name tonight.
5 comments:
I am a Singer /writer too have been since the 60's, mostly write now. Celinda was one of my great hero's of Blues Music and I was just wondering how she was doing, What A Talent and what A shame people can't hear that voice and know a very sweet girl. Thanks, Vikki Sallee_Dillard
I had the great pleasure of hearing Celinda perform impromtu at a photo shoot for her in Nashville. I had an immediate appreciation for that grainy, soulful voice, but it was evident then that her personal demons were stronger than her restraint. I was sorry to hear of her "fall from grace," but Nashville can be a fickle friend. I should think enough time has passed that she could re-start her career, should she choose. I, for one, would welcome her return!
Celinda Pink lives or should I say thrives in Jacksonville, Florida. She occasionally performs and works to help others, paying it forward. I also understand she is writing a book.
I was at a Christmas party at a local watering hole in Jacksonville and Celinda was the band on stage. I've never heard her before. She put on a great show and I look forward to, hopefully, seeing her jam again.
Celinda is an awesome lady and I love hearing her preform out and about in Jax, just heard her Friday night.
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