“Sister Vagabond” is the latest, 2011, release from Candye Kane, this tough as tempered steel woman, who has survived a dysfunctional blue collar up bringing and pancreatic cancer among many other treacherous hazards of the path along the way to the now.  To say she came up the hard way is a gross understatement of her life; a teenage mother from East L.A. she first burst on the music scene as a former stripper and champion of the porn industry, a rockabilly and punk singer with a voice for the blues in the heyday of the punk scene.  Some consider it as a kind of a minor miracle that she is still singing and keeping a band together with all that she has had to overcome, however she is and thriving.   Often the difficulties were initiated by her being a champion of the underdog/unpopular causes that she espoused.  However she has not only survived but also grown stronger and tougher, without losing her focus with each passing day.  Her music is all blues based and she tries to explore many facets of the blues; from the rock-a-billy rock ‘n roll fusion with Rhythm & Blues, to swinging Texas Blues, and even a Zydeco track and all ilk of Blues in-between. 

On this disc she has Laura Chavez displaying her stellar lead guitar chops, James Harmon takes the harmonica on one track, a good horn section, a solid corps of musicians backing her up on her songs.  Her singing goes from a delicate touch of straight singing on a song such as “Down With The Blues,” to Blues belter, to the squeaks and squeals, and growls that punctuate her songs driving home her emotional feel for the songs.  Listen to what she does with the old Brenda Lee tune, “Sweet Nothin’s,” punctuated by Laura’s slashing guitar.  She is a tough one but at the same time shows a softer more delicate touch on this disk.  Looking forward to more from this pair.