FREE TO THE PUBLIC!

Seating is first come, first served.

Libby Rae Watson grew up in Pascagoula, MIssissippi a few blocks from the Gulf of Mexico. She became captivated by Blues music when in her teens after stumbling across a songbook in a local music store. It was full of songs and photos of Blues greats! Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, Elizabeth Cotten.... legends of the early Blues. It was the beginning of a life long infatuation of the music, the people who made it, and the culture of her own State. She later searched for and became friends with several Blues musicians. She was mentored by the great Sam Chatmon who was the last surviving member of the Mississippi Sheiks.   "I didn't plan to go 'find' the Blues. The Blues found me. I've been consumed by it for over 40 years! Like Sam Chatmon said, “ The Blues is my daily occupation!”  

*Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola Blues Challenge*  2013 2nd place  2014 Winner, 2015 Winner

*International Blues Challenge, Memphis, TN* 2014 and 2015 semi-finalist. 2018 FINALIST!

2016 Musician of the Year by the Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola.

2017 Winner of the Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola Blues Challenge, along with duo partner, Wes Lee as Sweet ‘n’ Salty. Wes was a finalist in the 2017 IBC in Memphis.

2018 International Blues Challenge Finalist  with duo Sweet ‘n’ Salty and Wes Lee.

2019 National Women in Blues Showcase in Memphis, TN.

2019 Listed on the Mississippi Arts Commission’s Artist Roster at www.arts.ms.gov/artist-roster.

2019 Participant in a Mentorship Grant to study under Bluesman Earl ‘Little Joe’ Ayers in Holly Springs, MS.

2019 Amal Blues Festival in Sweden.

APRIL 2020 Released SHE SHIMMY, featuring Bert Deivert, a world class Blues mandolin player…and many other instruments! The cd is up for a Blues Blast Magazine Awards nomination. The cd features other Blues greats like Eric Bibb and Charlie Musselwhite.

After Covid cancelled 2 overseas trips, she finally perform Ed in Switzerland at the Blues Rules festival in Crissier in 2022.

2022 also brought her back to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, performing with the Hoodoo Men.

Libby Rae Watson has played many festivals and music venues throughout the South and Canada... New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, King Biscuit Blues Festival, Juke Joint Festival, to name a few. In 2013, She toured the Maritimes of Canada with famed Canadian blues man, Doc MacLean.

Since 2012, Libby Rae tours as a solo performer,  and with various configurations with fellow musicians Rambling Steve Gardner, Bill Steber, Austin Walking Cane, Walker T. Ryan, Sam Rorex, Sammy Baker and Wes Lee as the Jericho Road Show, The Stoop Down Rounders and the Hoodoo Men. In 2019, she collaborated with Blues mandolin player, Bert Deivert, for a tour in Sweden. This resulted in a new cd released in 2020 called SHE SHIMMY!

Several shows were planned for 2020 until COVID hit. We’re still busy working on new music!! Hope to see people in real life in the next year or so!

Flash forward to 2022…several gigs starting to book. Switzerland, Memphis, New Orleans, Tallahassee! Many more around Mississippi as festival season cranks up!

libbyrae.com