You Need Rosie Flores in Your Life

Rosie Flores

I’ve had numerous people whose musical tastes I appreciate tell me that I need to review the new album by the Rockabilly Filly Rosie Flores. The album is called Girl of the Century, and it has just been released on Bloodshot Records.

But to be perfectly honest, before I started hearing about this album, I did not know Rosie Flores from Adam, or Eve. So I rolled up my sleeves and started to dig, and man, what I found was not just one monster rockabilly goddess, but a national treasure.

I’ve always been fascinated by how rare the female lead guitar player is, and that is where my fascination for Rosie begins. But she’s not just a lead guitar/singer, she’s a guitar SLINGER, with an amazing voice and superb songwriting skills. Rosie is the full package: Wanda Jackson, Dwight Yoakam, and Texas heritage all rolled in to one explosive Latin firecracker!

And she’s been around for a long time. Girl of the Century is her first album in years, but she signed her first record deal with Reprise in 1987. She was billed as the female Dwight Yoakam, with a rockin’ Bakersfield country style and a neo-traditional twist.

Her biggest album of note was 1995’s Rockabilly Filly which is given credit for reintroducing the world to rockabilly pioneers Wanda Jackson and Janis Martin though Rosie’s solos with them, though many critics are saying Girl of the Century might be Rosie’s best album yet.

If you want to learn more about Rosie, click on the MySpace link above, but let’s not waste any more time before getting to the music out. Check out the Rockabilly Filly in action!

That was recorded less than two weeks ago, by a nearly 60-year-old Rosie still going strong. Here she is from back in the day, sharing the stage with Joe Ely, and taking a mean guitar break:

But if you’re saying, “Triggerman, I see the rock, but where’s the country?” Well see if this doesn’t put a tear in your beer:

Her voice has the Emmilyou Harris rasp, with the Patsy Cline yodel and twang. It’s absolutely amazing.

You can also check her out playing with Wanda Jackson earlier this year.

I’m not sure how I went 30+ without Rosie Flores in my music landscape. But I just solved that problem, and so should you.

Stay tuned for some album reviews of her stuff coming up.

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