# Sandra Hall > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sandra_Hall > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sandra_Hall.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Hall > Source revision: 1326546536 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{For|the Australian film critic|Sandra Hall (writer)}} {{short description|American singer}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Sandra Hall | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = | alias = Atlanta's "Empress of the Blues"{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HMyRAgAAQBAJ&q=%22SANDRA+HALL%22.+%22ATLANTA%22&pg=RA19-PA2002 |title=A Blues Bibliography – Robert Ford – Google Books |date=2008-03-31 |isbn=9781135865078 |accessdate=2014-03-11|last1=Ford |first1=Robert |publisher=Routledge }} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|9|5}} | birth_place = [Oakland City, Atlanta](/source/Oakland_City%2C_Atlanta), [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(U.S._state)), United States | death_date = | death_place = | instrument = Vocals | genre = [Blues](/source/Blues), [soul blues](/source/soul_blues){{cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/sandra-hall-mn0000240694/biography |title=Sandra Hall | Biography |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2014-03-11}} | occupation = Singer, songwriter | years_active = 1960s-present | label = Various including [Ichiban](/source/Ichiban_Records) | website = {{URL|facebook.com/sandrahallblues/}} }} '''Sandra L. Hall''' (born September 5, 1951){{cite book| first1= Bob| last1= Eagle| first2= Eric S.| last2= LeBlanc| year= 2013| title= Blues – A Regional Experience| publisher= Praeger Publishers| location= Santa Barbara| pages=277 | isbn= 978-0313344237}} is an American [blues](/source/blues) and [soul blues](/source/soul_blues) singer and songwriter. She has been billed as Atlanta's "Empress of the Blues" Hall is an Honorary Member of the Atlanta Blues Society.{{cite web |url=http://www.atlantabluessociety.org/musicians.html |title=Atlanta's Home of the Blues |publisher=The Atlanta Blues Society |date=1977-07-06 |accessdate=2014-03-11 |archive-date=2014-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311164327/http://www.atlantabluessociety.org/musicians.html |url-status=dead }} To date she has released five albums, including three on [Ichiban Records](/source/Ichiban_Records).{{cite web |url=http://www.soulbluesmusic.com/sandrahall.htm |title=Sandra Hall |publisher=Soulbluesmusic.com |date= |accessdate=2014-03-11 |archive-date=2014-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311180153/http://www.soulbluesmusic.com/sandrahall.htm |url-status=dead }} ==Life and career== Hall was born in [Oakland City, Atlanta](/source/Oakland_City%2C_Atlanta), [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(U.S._state)), United States. After singing from the age of four at a nearby church, Hall formed a duo with her sister, Barbara, called the Soul Sisters. She later formed the Exotics, singing and dancing particularly at the Royal Peacock Club, one of the premier Atlanta [nightclub](/source/nightclub)s. The Exotics opened for several touring acts at that venue, including [Otis Redding](/source/Otis_Redding), [Joe Tex](/source/Joe_Tex) and [the Temptations](/source/the_Temptations). By the late 1960s, Hall had trained as a nurse, supplementing her income by working variously as a singer, go-go dancer and stripper. She also raised her daughter during this time. She continued singing in a semi-professional vein, while working full-time as a nurse. She developed her stage act to include a risque repertoire which was ripe with innuendo. Her better known songs included "[Big Long Slidin' Thing](/source/Big_Long_Slidin'_Thing)," "One Drop Will Do You," and "Pump Up Your Love".{{cite web |url=http://www.sandrahallbluesempress.org/ |title=Sandra Hall – The Empress of the Blues Official Site |publisher=Sandrahallbluesempress.org |date= |accessdate=2014-03-11 |archive-date=2014-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311164448/http://www.sandrahallbluesempress.org/ |url-status=dead }} Hall's live work came to the attention of [Ichiban Records](/source/Ichiban_Records) and, in 1995, they released her debut solo album, ''Showin' Off''.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/showin-off-mw0000125155/releases |title=Showin' Off – Sandra Hall | Releases |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2014-03-11}} The same year she appeared at the [Sarasota Blues Fest](/source/Sarasota_Blues_Fest). Hall continued to work largely around Atlanta, but her recording exposure led her on tours in Europe, which included her performing at the [Montreux Jazz Festival](/source/Montreux_Jazz_Festival). Her second album, ''One Drop Will Do You'', was issued in 1997. The [Allmusic](/source/Allmusic) [journalist](/source/music_journalism), Alex Henderson, noted that ''One Drop Will Do You'' "isn't an innovative or groundbreaking album, but it's certainly a very satisfying and inspired one".{{cite web|author=Alex Henderson |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/one-drop-will-do-you-mw0001884288 |title=One Drop Will Do You – Sandra Hall | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=1997-04-22 |accessdate=2014-03-11}} In 2001, she self-released ''Miss Red Riding Hood''. Hall performed at the W.C. Handy Blues and Barbecue Festival in 2005. As well as continuing to perform and record, she befriended [Shemekia Copeland](/source/Shemekia_Copeland) and gave guidance in her early career, and Hall regularly visits schools teaching blues culture and singing styles. Hall continues to perform at Blind Willie's in Atlanta. In 2011, Hall appeared at the [Julius Daniels](/source/Julius_Daniels) Memorial Blues Festival. ==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year || Title || Record label || Notes |- | 1995 || ''Showin' Off'' || style="text-align:center;"|[Ichiban](/source/Ichiban_Records) || |- | 1997 || ''One Drop Will Do You'' || style="text-align:center;"|Ichiban || |- | 2001 || ''Miss Red Riding Hood'' || style="text-align:center;"|Self-released || |- | 2002 || ''American Roots : Blues'' || style="text-align:center;"|Ichiban || [Compilation album](/source/Compilation_album) |- | 2007 || ''Red Bone Woman'' || style="text-align:center;"|Slang Records || Sandra Hall & Gnola Blues Band |}{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/sandra-hall-mn0000240694/discography |title=Sandra Hall | Discography |publisher=AllMusic |date=1997-04-22 |accessdate=2014-03-11}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bluestobop.ch/website/en/artist/sandra-hall-gnola-blues-band |title=Sandra Hall & Gnola Blues Band | BluesToBop |publisher=Bluestobop.ch |date= |accessdate=2014-03-11}} ==See also== *[Music of Atlanta](/source/Music_of_Atlanta) *[List of blues musicians](/source/List_of_blues_musicians) *[List of soul-blues musicians](/source/List_of_soul-blues_musicians) ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Sandra}} Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:American blues singers Category:American soul singers Category:20th-century African-American women singers Category:20th-century American women singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:Singers from Atlanta Category:Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Soul-blues musicians Category:African-American songwriters Category:21st-century African-American musicians Category:21st-century African-American women --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sandra Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Hall) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Hall?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.