Vicki Price – 2018 Inductee
Music has always been a part of Vicki’s life. Growing up in Northeast Iowa she sang in church and nursing homes throughout her childhood. In 1984 Vicki was tending bar at a club in Waukon, Iowa. One Friday night Joe Price showed up to perform his music. He set up his stage, a Gretsch electric and some kind of strange steel guitar. He tied an Irish drum with a kick petal to the leg. He then proceeded to blow the doors off the place. Vicki would later reflect, “I could not believe one guy could make that much sound.” On the break his audience asked if Vicki could play. He kindly turned his National over to her for a few songs. Later that night they played music together and have been doing so ever since.
When Joe left the band “Mother Blues” and moved to Northeast Iowa, Joe and Vicki began performing on a regular basis. During the 80s they opened for Willy Dixon, John Lee Hooker and Pinetop Perkins among others. They played at the first year of the Mississippi Valley Blues Fest in Davenport and have been asked to return many times over the years. Vicki and Joe have had the honor of playing at many other great Iowa Festivals, along with major festivals across the nation along with King Biscuit Fest they have played at Telluride Blues and Brews in Colorado, and The Mill Valley Arts Fest in California among others.
Their CD Rain or Shine won the Independent Music Award for best CD of 2009 and received great reviews around the country including Vintage Guitar Magazine. Three of the CD’s songs were written by Vicki. They are now regular performers at the Lagunitas Brewing Companies in Petaluma and Chicago and have been invited to perform at their new venue in Los Angeles, as well as the Oskar Blues Brewing facility in Colorado. In addition, Joe and Vicki also have the honor of playing regularly at Buddy Guys Legends in Chicago
When asked for influences on her music Vicki listed many starting with her mother, but went on to say, “Of course my biggest influence has been Joe Price. He has always encouraged me to learn more and be more. He has made sure I had the best guitars and amps. I haven’t strung up my own guitar since I met him. Most important he has always filled our house with the music he loves both with his own playing and on our record player. He has kept the blues fresh for himself and me”.
