Blues Search Engine: Toni Lynn Washington

Toni Lynn Washington's youth was spent in Southern Pines, North Carolina where she loved nothing better than a chance to sing with her school and church choirs. Her education in the language and lifestyle of music continued when her family moved to Boston, where she finished her formal education and went about building her career. Toni Lynn Washington first took the stage in Boston where, after sneaking past the door of as many clubs as she could (being underage at the time), she was soon wowing musicians and audiences all over the city. Toni Lynn Washington had, of course, been doing this for quite some time, until one fateful night, when she proceeded to bring the house down with her performance of Ruth Brown's "5, 10, 15 (Hours Of Your Love)". Marriage at 18, to a military man, soon found our heroine in New Orleans. Once settled, Toni Lynn Washington befriended, worked with and opened for such blues/soul legends as Jackie Wilson, Johnny Adams, Big Joe Turner, Sam and Dave and Bobby Blue Bland. Toni Lynn Washington worked regularly in clubs all over New Orleans and soon found herself traveling more and more. Her early recordings for Kon-Tiki produced the moderately successful single Dear Diary and a truly heartfelt version of the ballad Satisfaction. A military transfer brought her young family to a still-segregated Pensacola, Florida. Toni Lynn Washington managed to find a few regional bookings, and she actually fronted a 35 piece, Military Band. A few moves and a few groups later, Toni Lynn Washington found herself in Hollywood. Almost immediately upon her arrival, she became the sole female in a Fifth Dimension-esque group called Sound 70. Travel with this band took her all over the country and world, and even led to television appearances. The breakup of Sound 70, a move to the East Coast and a short stint with some ex-Raelettes solidified her disenchantment. Toni Lynn Washington moved back to Boston in the early 80's and got a office job so that she could provide for her family. She sat in with a number of local artists, including jazz vocalist Eula Lawrence. During this period, Toni Lynn Washington performed at virtually every music room in Boston. Toni Lynn Washington soon gained the opportunity to sing the blues she so loved, as front woman of Boston Baked Blues. This provided her introduction to blues audiences all over the Northeast. After a few successful years with BBB, Toni Lynn Washington made the break, with no ill will, from Boston Baked Blues, and with the help of BBB band mate Bruce Bears as her musical director and keyboardist, she formed her own band. Signed to Richard Rosenblatt's Tone-Cool Records, she has begun to see some reward for her efforts. She's been nominated for two W.C. Handy Awards, had her music used in feature film soundtracks, and appeared on National Public Radio in the company of Etta James and John Lee Hooker. Toni Lynn Washington has recorded radio performances has been a featured artist at a number of prestigious festivals. In 1999, she won the Boston Blues Festival's Lifetime Achievement Award.