Influenced by Koko Taylor, Aretha Franklin, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, native Texan Diunna Greenleaf combines intricate patches of jazz, gospel and heartfelt soul to create her own “kind” version of the blues.
Greenleaf and her band, Blue Mercy, have performed on stages all over the world, including appearances at the Lugano Blues Festival and Bern Jazz Festival, both in Switzerland. She’s opened for and performed with Bob Margolin, Keb Mo, Willie “Pinetop” Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, James Cotton, Carrie Bell, Big Bill Morganfield, Sam Meyers and the Rockets, odetta, Kenny Neal, Percy Sledge and the great Teddy “Cry Cry” Reynolds, among several others.
She was named Living Blues Magazine’s 2015 Female Artist of the year, and has won three Blues Music Awards, including Best New Artist Debut (2008) and the Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female (2014, 2017).
Greenleaf is committed to the blues outside of performing as well. She served as President of the Houston Blues Society for three years, the first woman ever elected to the position. During her tenure, she produced the Willie Mae Thornton Blues Festival, which featured Koko Taylor, Mr. Bernard Allison, Gary Clar, Jr. Diane Price, and more.
Her newest album, I Ain’t Playin’, was released earlier this year on Little Village. Recorded by “Kid” Andersen, Playin’ includes songs by Johnny Copeland, Dietra Farr and Big James Montgomery, and versions of the Staples Singers’ “I Know I’ve Been Changed” and Nina Simone’s “I Wish I knew How It Would Feel to Be Free,” two tracks that radiate America’s struggle to achieve racial harmony.
Greenleaf and her band, Blue Mercy, have performed on stages all over the world, including appearances at the Lugano Blues Festival and Bern Jazz Festival, both in Switzerland. She’s opened for and performed with Bob Margolin, Keb Mo, Willie “Pinetop” Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, James Cotton, Carrie Bell, Big Bill Morganfield, Sam Meyers and the Rockets, odetta, Kenny Neal, Percy Sledge and the great Teddy “Cry Cry” Reynolds, among several others.
She was named Living Blues Magazine’s 2015 Female Artist of the year, and has won three Blues Music Awards, including Best New Artist Debut (2008) and the Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female (2014, 2017).
Greenleaf is committed to the blues outside of performing as well. She served as President of the Houston Blues Society for three years, the first woman ever elected to the position. During her tenure, she produced the Willie Mae Thornton Blues Festival, which featured Koko Taylor, Mr. Bernard Allison, Gary Clar, Jr. Diane Price, and more.
Her newest album, I Ain’t Playin’, was released earlier this year on Little Village. Recorded by “Kid” Andersen, Playin’ includes songs by Johnny Copeland, Dietra Farr and Big James Montgomery, and versions of the Staples Singers’ “I Know I’ve Been Changed” and Nina Simone’s “I Wish I knew How It Would Feel to Be Free,” two tracks that radiate America’s struggle to achieve racial harmony.
