Web: www.fionaboyes.com

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Winner 2003 International Blues Challenge, Memphis, USA

“ I ain’t never heard a woman finger-pick a guitar like that since Memphis Minnie. She’s the best gal guitar player I heard in more than 35 years.”
- Delta pianist & Blues Hall of Fame Legend, ‘Pinetop’ Perkins

“ Far and away the most significant Australian female Blues performer”
- Rhythms Magazine

Legendary Blues artists are acclaiming Fiona as one of the great emerging blues women of our day. After 14 years of live performances in Australia, fronting her Southern and New Orleans style blues band, ‘The Mojos’, and five album releases, Fiona embarked on her acoustic career. In 2000 she released her debut solo album, ‘Blues in My Heart’ to critical acclaim. It won her the 2001 Female Blues Artist of the Year, the 2001 APRA Song of the Year, and 2002 Blues Performer of the Year awards, as well as accolades from reviewers and audiences around the world. She was named 2004 Female Blues Vocalist of the Year by the Australian Blues Music Festival Awards (the Chain Awards), following her scooping of the 2003 Victorian Blues Music Awards, with Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Artist of the Year.

In 2002 Fiona recorded her second acoustic album, ‘Gimme Some Sweet Jelly Roll.’ It was the material on this album that took her, in January 2003, to the birthplace of the Blues, Beale St. Memphis, to compete in the 19th International Blues Challenge, the world’s premier showcase for emerging Blues talent. Fiona became the first Australian, and the only woman, to win the acoustic division of this prestigious event. She returned to the US in May to perform at the W C Handy Awards, the Blues Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Chicago Blues Festival, New York Rhythm and Blues Festival, Portland’s Waterfront Blues Festival, and leading venues across 15 States. ‘Gimme Some Sweet Jelly Roll’ was listed in the top three albums by ‘Jazz Review’ (USA) Best Blues Albums of 2003, alongside Marcia Ball’s and Rory Block’s latest releases.

Fiona’s success as an acoustic player has not meant the relinquishing of her great love of playing electric guitar with a full band. At the end of her US tour she was joined by Muddy Waters’ slide guitarist, ‘Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin, and multi-Grammy and W C Handy award winning sax/harp player and producer, Mark ‘Kaz’ Kazanoff for a live recording at Atlanta’s ‘Blue Note West’ club. The album, ‘Fiona Boyes & the Fortune Tellers: Live in Atlanta’ was her first band recording since 1999, and was released in March, 2004. By November of that year it had moved to #2 on the Chicago Blues Radio playlist charts, between Buddy Guy and B B King.

In April, 2004, legendary Howlin’ Wolf guitarist, Hubert Sumlin, joined Fiona and her band ‘The Fortune Tellers’ at gigs in Melbourne, Sydney, and the southern hemisphere’s largest blues gathering, the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival. Hubert has just released an album with Eric Clapton and Keith Richards, and is the driving guitar-force from the famous Howlin’ Wolf Chess recordings. His most recent guest appearance was with the Rolling Stones, at Madison Square Gardens. Hubert joins a growing list of international artists who Fiona has performed with, including Pinetop Perkins, Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith, Tommy Castro, Michael Hill, Ana Popovic, Ann Rabson, Katie Webster, Saffire, The Legends of the Mississippi Delta, Trudy Lynn, and most recently 2005 Grammy winner Alvin ‘Youngblood’ Hart.

This promises to be another great year for Australia’s Blues guitar gal, Fiona Boyes. Fiona has been signed by Memphis label “Yellow Dog Records”. With connections back to the STAX label, Yellow Dog is one of the fastest growing labels for blues and roots music in the US. The first offering on this label is 'Lucky 13', and has rated on blues charts everywhere and nominated for best Contemporay Blues Album in 2007.

Fiona’s touring schedule includes Festivals and clubs in Australia, North America, and Europe. Her many years of experience, coupled with her deep love of blues and roots music, has earned her the respect of some of the world’s great blues artists, with whom she has played and recorded. She is, without doubt, one of the foremost blues women playing today.