Ep. 60 - DieDra Ruff

Alabama Music Office.com goes to Champy's in Muscle Shoals, Alabama to attend a performance by Diedra the Blues Diva for WC Handy Music Festival 2018.

Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, DieDra has been singing since she can remember. It was a God-given talent that has exploded into a gift that she shares with the world. DieDra was raised by her maternal grandfather, who wrote and sang songs in the church. DieDra was a part of the family singing group at the age of nine. As the lead singer, she has been inspired by Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, and Whitney Houston.

DieDra has spent a majority of her life in Jacksonville, Florida. As an ex-military spouse, she taught herself how to get around the city in search of a manager for her career. In 1996 she met the late Charlie Cross, of Brunswick, Ga. He signed her to his management company and her career began. DieDra has had the opportunity to open up for Betty Wright, Bobby Brown, Candi Staton, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Bar-Kays, Glenn Jones, Denise LaSalle, Al Green, Avant, Carl Thomas, Sunshine Anderson and currently touring with Bobby Rush.

In 1998, DieDra was signed to Boogie Down Production in The Bronx, New York. Over the next 10 years, she was locked in an unproductive contract with Big East Entertainment.  Keith Ruff was assigned to produce DieDra’s first CD by the company. Because of Keith’s schedule, he was never available to get the CD completed. Now, 10 years later, Keith Ruff of Ruff Pro Records called DieDra and found out that after all these years, her project was still incomplete. DieDra signed on with Keith under Ruff Pro Records, and launched “DieDra and the Ruff pro Band”.  Her debut album “Overcoming Hurdles” was born in one month.