Libby Rae Watson grew up in Mississippi a few blocks from the Gulf of Mexico. Not exactly the heart of the Delta and the delta blues, but just a few hours drive away. Captivated by the music, she became deeply involved with the Delta in the mid 1970’s, searching, exploring, documenting, meeting and playing with all the blues artists she could find. People like Big Joe Williams, Furry Lewis, Johnny Woods, Eugene Powell, Son Thomas and many more. Legends and obscurities. She was a 22 year old girl venturing into places not many would dare to enter. But it was her friendship with Hollandale’s Sam Chatmon that influenced her the most. They became fast friends from day one and remained that way until his death in 1983, where Libby Rae performed “Sitting On Top Of The World” at his funeral. Now, after years of staying close to home with her band, The Liberaetors, Libby Rae has come back to the old delta Blues where she started….and back to the road.
Libby Rae has performed at many festivals over her career….the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, King Biscuit Festival, Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, MS, The Mighty Mississippi River Festival in Greenville, MS, and The Sam Chatmon Festival in Hollandale, MS to name a few. She has performed House Concerts from Canada to Birdie’s Roadhouse in Varnado, La…from the Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, MS to the FloraBama in Orange Beach, AL and has been a semi-finalist multiple years at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.She has toured with Toronto based Bluesman, Doc MacLean, and with Rambling Steve Gardner, Bill Steber, and Wes Lee as the Jericho Road Show.
A classic Mississippi blueswoman/singer songwriter…Libby Rae Watson.