Deitra Farr is a blues singer, songwriter, writer, educator, and columnist for Living Blues Magazine.

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She is considered one of Chicago ’s top vocalists, according to Living Blues Magazine (May 1997).  On October 4, 2015, Deitra was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame as a “Legendary Blues Artist”. On December 9, 2016, the National Southern Soul Foundation gave Deitra” The Most Popular Blues Artist Award”. Deitra is the recipient of the 2017 Jus Blues Music Foundation’s” Koko Taylor Queen of the Blues Award”.

 

This Chicago native began her career in 1975, singing with local soul bands, before starting her blues career in the early 1980s. When Deitra was 18 years old, she recorded the lead vocals on Mill Street Depo’s record “You Won’t Support Me”. That record was a Cashbox Top 100 R&B hit in 1976.

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In 1983, Deitra began her blues career working at the major Chicago blues clubs, such as The Kingston Mines, The Wise Fool’s Pub, and Blue Chicago. She also toured the US and Canada with the Sam Lay Blues Band.

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From 1993 to 1996, Deitra was the lead singer with Mississippi Heat, recording two CDs with this all-star group.

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In 1997, Deitra resumed her own solo career, continuing to sing blues, while reaching back to her soul music roots. After recording on eight previous CD projects with others, she recorded her first solo CD, “The Search is Over”, for the London-based JSP records. In 2005, Deitra released her second JSP CD “Let it Go!”

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A graduate of Columbia College (Bachelor of Arts in Journalism), Deitra has recorded many of her own compositions and has written articles for the Chicago Daily Defender, The Chicago Blues Annual, and the Italian blues magazine il Blues. For the last fifteen years she's had a column called “Artist to Artist” in Living Blues Magazine. Deitra has performed in over forty countries around the world.

 

Deitra says, "My connection to Muddy Waters is my father always played his records throughout my childhood and I loved it. When I was old enough to venture out on my own, I would go see Muddy at various outdoor venues and festivals. I was able to meet him before his concert at the South Shore Country Club in 1981 on my 24th birthday. My father always told me Muddy Waters was the Father of Chicago Blues and I agree. It is extremely important to me that Muddy's Chicago home be preserved as a key historical landmark and museum."