This week in The 615 Spotlight, we take a look at a career that has ran the gamut during her 25 years in the business. Petrella, dubbed The First Lady of Country Soul, is out with a new album entitled "Shine On Me."
"I'm really excited about it," the singer tells Billboard. "I wanted to include a lot of people in the celebration. When I realized that I had worked for 25 years in the country music business, I thought it was an important milestone."
The album is her first musical project in six years. "In 2007, we came out with 'Hundred Proof Woman,' and I was able to get some investors together. We worked a distribution deal with Warner Brothers / CMG Distribution, which helped to spread awareness of my music."
The new project reunites her with her first producer from the late 1980s. "I got back with Jack Gale. I thought he would never produce again. He had been going through a lot of things, but he came out of retirement for me, and I appreciate it."
Petrella is very aware of the significance of her being involved in the country genre. "There aren't a lot of women of color in the business. I celebrate that, but I do wonder why I don't see more people like me. I don't get it. I love country music, and that's what I grew up on. I tease people all the time that my daddy's barber shop was next door to the honky tonks, so for me, I don't see why it's so unusual," she says, also allowing that getting to remain in the game is something she is proud of. "Staying in it, and going places where people enjoy the music that is definitely a highlight."
The singer also celebrated a major coup in 2012. "Last year, I had the opportunity to do the Pasadena Playhouse. They have what they call a small intimate theater that they allow independent artists to work inside this theater. I produced six shows that were all based on my music. We had one night where there were songwriters, then one night we had Lula Washington and her dance group. Her group came in and joined me on ‘Eighteen Reasons To Live, Laugh, and Love,' which is basically a story about me being in country music, and we used some of the songs off my albums. We did six shows, and invited a lot of people in the industry to come out and see me."
Petrella, who has shared the stage with acts from multiple formats, including Gladys Knight and Tracy Lawrence, has just issued a new single to radio. Titled "One," fans might also remember it as being the final duet between George Jones and Tammy Wynette in 1995.
"When Jack brought it to me, and told me that Ed Bruce told me to try it on for size, I was so impressed with the song. I love that sentiment. You always think that you would want someone to feel that way about you. It's a great song."
The veteran performer is putting on her traveling shoes to visit radio, and take the new album on the road. "We're putting as much as we can behind it, because we would love to have it heard by more people. I've been playing the grass roots for so long, and I have no problem with that. But, I would like to see some of my songs get introduced to a bigger audience. I just want a shot to have more people hear me and more fans!"
Petrella Ann Bonner (born in Hot Springs, AR), also known as “Petrella, First Lady of Country Soul” is an American country music artist. Petrella’s accomplishments are on display at the Mosaic Templars Museum in Little Rock, AR, have been donated to the Arkansas History Commission and are on file at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville, TN, and have been documented by the University of Indiana African American Archive of Music and Culture and by the History Makers (Chicago, IL). Petrella is listed in Essence Magazine as one of the “18 Black Country Singers You Need to Know” and is ranked as one of “The Greatest Black Country Singers”
In 1988 as a member of the Los Angeles Songwriters Showcase, Petrella received her first record contract from pitching a demo to Jack Gale of Playback Records an independent record label in Nashville, TN. She signed a contract in 1989 with Ridgewood Records (a division of Playback Records) for a 2-sided single. The song "This Isn't Goodbye" charted on the Up and Coming Chart at Number 14 and "Blues Stay Away From Me", charted on Cashbox Top 100 Country Singles at number 86. This chart action led Jack Gale to form a “Country-Soul Division under Playback Records with the first album release featuring Petrella distributed nationally by Laurie Records.
A video of “Blues Stay Away from Me” recorded in California was also released and played nationally. In March 13, 1993 the music Trade Magazine Cashbox featured her on the cover and the cover story. Her single "I Found Somebody" placed her as the #1 Indie at #53 on Cash Box Top 100 Country Singles. In 1994, two other singles, "Go For It" and "Remedy" reached the country charts top 100 and Nashville Tracker magazine nominated Petrella as New Female Vocalist of the Year and her Album was nominated as “Album of the Year”. Petrella’s relationship with Jack Gale spanned almost 30 years until his death in 2018 and included 3 CDs, (“Petrella”, “100 Proof Woman” and “Shine on Me”).
A video of “Blues Stay Away from Me” recorded in California was also released and played nationally. In March 13, 1993 the music Trade Magazine Cashbox featured her on the cover and the cover story. Her single "I Found Somebody" placed her as the #1 Indie at #53 on Cash Box Top 100 Country Singles. In 1994, two other singles, "Go For It" and "Remedy" reached the country charts top 100 and Nashville Tracker magazine nominated Petrella as New Female Vocalist of the Year and her Album was nominated as “Album of the Year”. Petrella’s relationship with Jack Gale spanned almost 30 years until his death in 2018 and included 3 CDs, (“Petrella”, “100 Proof Woman” and “Shine on Me”).
In 2008 she signed a distribution deal with Warner Brothers Records through TMG resulted in her single "I Want To Know You Forever" from her 2008 CD "100 Proof Woman" charting on the Billboard Hot Single Sales at number 15. ]
In the year 2012 she recorded her 25th Anniversary Album “Shine on Me” with legendary DJ Jack Gale as her producer and filmed a video of her single “Working in the USA” with video producer K.C. Amos (son of John Amos of Television show “Good Times”). Her video can be viewed on Vevo , Youtube and Daily Motion.
The years 2012 through 2018 Petrella concentrated on putting together her band (Mixed Influence) and playing at venues throughout Southern California and Central Coast California. The highlight from this time period was openeing for The Spinners on Feb 23, 2018 at The Rose Music Venue in Pasadena, CA. In her career Petrella has opened for Gladys Knight, Tracy Lawrence, A.J. Croce (Son of Jim Croce), Billy Vera and the Beater’s and the Delfonics.
Petrella has released 7 studio albums, 5 country albums, one gospel album and one Christmas album.
