Description

Valerie Wellington – Million Dollar Secret – Compact Disc

Million Dollar Secret is the debut album by American blues singer Valerie Wellington, released in 1984. Wellington, known for her powerful voice and classical training, brought a unique and dynamic presence to the blues genre. This album blends traditional blues with elements of soul and jazz, highlighting her versatile vocal range and emotional depth. The production features rich instrumentation typical of the blues, such as electric guitar, piano, and harmonica.

The title track, Million Dollar Secret, is a standout, showcasing Wellington’s storytelling ability and emotional delivery. Other notable tracks include ‘Down In The Dumps,’ which demonstrates her soulful expressiveness, and ‘Cold, Cold Feeling,’ an upbeat song that blends blues rhythms with a catchy melody. The album received positive reviews from critics and blues enthusiasts, who praised Wellington’s vocal talent and the album’s authentic sound. It helped solidify her reputation as a significant figure in the contemporary blues scene. Million Dollar Secret contributed to the preservation and evolution of blues music in the 1980s, influencing other artists with its blend of classical vocal techniques and blues performance. Valerie Wellington’s work continues to inspire new generations of blues singers, emphasizing emotional depth and technical skill.

Valerie Wellington took the Chicago blues scene by surprise in 1982, perhaps not forgoing her classical training as an opera singer as much as using it to enhance her work in the blues. As a blueswoman she fit right in, not only becoming a regular in the blues clubs but also compiling an impressive theatrical resume for her portrayals of Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith, like opera singers, learned to project their voices without microphones.

The influence of Koko Taylor was also evident in Wellington’s blues approach, which combined classic vaudeville-era blues with hard-driving Chicago sounds. Her power-packed voice was heard on only a few record releases but was featured frequently in TV and radio commercials. Valerie Wellington was only 33 years old when she died of a brain aneurysm.

Rhino Records

Track Listing
1. Down In The Dumps
2. Million Dollar Secret
3. Independent Blues
4. Cold, Cold Feeling
5. Smokestack Lightning
6. Dirty No-Gooder’s Blues
7. My Baby Treats Me Like A Stepchild
8. You Can’t Have My Monkey
9. Bad Avenue
10. Love Don’t Love Nobody
11. Wild About You
12. Voodoo Blues