Artist Guide

Lady Q

#160 ranked Southern Soul Artist

"Lumberjack (feat. Jeter Jones)"

Lady Q

Originally posted in Daddy B. Nice's New CD Reviews.

March 3, 2019:

LADY Q: Class 'N Session (Jones Boys Ent.) Three Stars *** Solid Debut By A New Southern Soul Artist.

At times while listening to this new album, I felt like a TV game-show host trying to decide whether to give Class N' Session, the debut CD by Lady Q., a three-star ("solid") or four-star ("distinguished") rating. I gave the artist points for at least three radio-worthy singles and the collaborative boost realized from the contributions of hot artist Jeter Jones and producer-of-the-year Ronald "Slack" Jefferson, about which more in a minute, but I took away points for some gaffes.

The most glaring mistake is Lady Q's cover of Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It?" Turner's powerful and husky vocal style had an obvious effect on the development of Lady Q's style, and while it's interesting to be privy to one of Lady Q's influences, putting such an iconic song in the strategic final position of a debut CD is, frankly, an admission of inferiority. A debut album should represent years of pent-up and unpublished creativity; it should be a resounding statement of an artist's identity. We can imagine Lady Q singing covers, as all aspiring singers do, prior to her debut, but a debut is no place for influences, especially a blushingly faithful cover of "What's Love Got To Do With It?"

The second major error is the inclusion of "Dancing In Da Streets (B-Day Song)," which under ordinary circumstances would be a creditable tune and another reason to give this album positive points. The caveat here, however, is that producer Ronald Jefferson has used the same chords and melody, if not quite the identical instrumental track, for another recent, high-profile single, P2K DaDiddy's "Trucker Hustle" from his five-star 2018 debut, Welcome To The Boom Boom Room.

Anyone who fell in love with P2K's album is bound to be taken aback by hearing a clone of "Trucker Hustle" on Lady Q's album, and Jeter Jones above all should have put the "nix" on the iteration, having been involved in his own gaffe earlier in his career using an Eric "Smidi" Smith instrumental track already published by both Bobby Jonz and Chuck Roberson.

(DBN notes: That particular track just won't die. I recently was e-mailed an mp3 by Cadillac Man using it yet again. You'd think Smidi would retire it as a statement of character, but it's hard to turn down the money when it's put in front of you unsolicited.)

A handful of the songs on the set occupy a middle ground, neither gaining nor losing overall points. "Treat Me Like Ya Mama," "Enough Is Enough," "Two Steps," and "Checking Out" are all pleasing at times, but also mediocre, what we'd typically call benign filler.

The songs even skeptics of this album--and buyers of my argument above--will want to download are contained in four substantial singles: "You Make Me Feel Good," "Issue It," the title track "Lumberjack" and the surprisingly delicate and affecting "Can't Come Back To You" (featuring Jeter Jones). This quartet of tunes more than makes the case that Lady Q has arrived.

"Q" debuted on the charts in June 2018 with "Lumberjack".

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Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .

-------JUNE 2018-------

…5. "Lumberjack (Good Wood/I Need A Lumberjack)"-----Lady Q featuring Jeter Jones

Another stunning, hard-hitting, dance-grooving debut by a female vocalist (making three in this month's top five picks).

Listen to Lady Q feat. Jeter Jones singing "Lumberjack".

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(DBN notes: The other two female singers in the top-five that month were Annie Washington ("Show Pony") and Beatrice ("I'M Gonna Wait".)

And upon release of Class N' Session, Lady Q has charted twice in two months.

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Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .

-------FEBRUARY 2019-------

…4. "You Make Me Feel Good"------Lady Q

Aided by Jeter Jones and Producer of the Year Ronald "Slack" Jefferson, the barrel-chested songstress with the masculine vocal style pounds out a gritty ballad for the ages. From her debut album Class N Session.

Listen to Lady Q. singing"You Make Me Feel Good" on YouTube.

Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .

-------MARCH 2019-------

…7. "Issue It"------Lady Q featuring Jeter Jones

Speaking of good rhythm tracks, you can't do much better than Lady Q's "Issue It," another gem from her Class n Session debut album brought to fruition by Best Mid-Tempo Song Of The Year winner Jeter Jones.

Listen to Lady Q singing "Issue It" on YouTube.

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Good pipes, good songs, good people in her corner. She's got a lot of rough edges to hone, but the future looks bright for Lady Q, who fits the bill as a quintessential, easy-going "big lady" of southern soul music: bright, tough and beautiful.

--Daddy B. Nice

Buy Lady Q's Class 'N Sessin album at iTunes.

Buy Lady Q's Class 'N Sessin album at Amazon.

--Daddy B. Nice

About Lady Q

Lady Q. grew up in Ada Taylor, Louisiana.

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