PORT TOWNSEND — It’s a familiar story for modern parents: When the children are grown, parents do what wasn’t possible when child-rearing was a priority.
“It was our decision that we wanted to raise our children first before we concentrated on my career,” said blues singer Teresa James, who is performing with her band, the Rhythm Tramps, at the Upstage Bistro, 923 Washington St., on Friday at
8 p.m., with tickets at $12.
“If one of us goes on the road, it’s one thing, but if we both go out, it changes the concept of parenting, and we didn’t want to do that,” James said.
James and her husband, Terry Wilson, who plays bass in her band, have a 24-year-old daughter and 21-year-old son who are both following their parents into the arts.
Wilson is taking time off from his “day job”: playing bass for Eric Burdon and the Animals, for which he performs familiar hit songs for large crowds.
The couple are touring to support a new CD in earnest in a way that was not possible when family obligations were at the forefront.
They are anxious to play in Port Townsend.
“We are really looking forward to this,” said James, who lives with her family near Los Angeles.
“The Upstage has a great reputation.”
Friday’s show is stripped down from the band’s regular format because they are leaving the horns at home.
“This new CD has a really good feel, and there are some great performances,” James said of “Come on Home,” which is her eighth album.
She now faces a common obstacle for lesser-known musicians: getting noticed in a competitive market.
James is a blues shouter whose fans have compared her voice to that of Bonnie Raitt.
In fact. Raitt has plugged James’ new album:
“I’ve been a fan of Teresa’s voice and writing for a long time,” she said.
“Her legions of fans, including me, are so glad to finally have both on this CD.”
Said Wilson: “It’s an amazing thing when Teresa goes into a club and sings for people who have not heard her before.
“You watch their expressions, and they all do a double take.”
This contrasts with performing with Burdon.
“With Eric, people know what to expect because he’s been around a long time,” Wilson said.
“Seeing him perform is a special experience because he is an original voice, and there aren’t too many of these cats left.”
Billy Watts, who plays guitar in the Animals, is also part of James’ band.
These aren’t the original Animals, but their musicianship and ability to improvise bring freshness to familiar songs, Wilson said.
“Eric doesn’t like to do songs the way they are on the record,” Wilson said.
“You never know what to expect.”
Wilson said that when he travels with Burdon, “I get to stay in a lot of nice hotels,” but he also enjoys going on the road with James where they drive from one performance to another.
Wilson, 61, is more relaxed than in his younger days.
“When you get older, you learn to anticipate things and don’t get so upset when things go wrong,” he said.
“You realize that you can’t change things. If something isn’t what you expected, you learn to live with it and don’t make a fuss.”
The economy has forced musicians to do more for themselves, taking on responsibilities that were once assumed by record labels and publicists.
James, who is in her 50s, financed the recording of her own CD but turned to Kickstarter, a Web-based fundraising tool, to fund promotion and publicity.
She raised around $20,000 from a small group of dedicated fans who have supported her career for years.
For more information, phone 360-385-2216 or visit www.upstagerestaurant.com.
Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
