Music has always been LaTresa's first love. She began performing professionally in high school with a series of bands. Her father, a singer/songwriter Church of Christ minister, moved the family around the heart of Dixie a lot. Hers was, at times, a hard scrabble childhood, as her parents struggled to put food on the table and clothing on their backs. Along the way she soaked up influences from the Mississippi Delta to Memphis to the Bluegrass of Kentucky and beyond. After working her way through college, she augmented her musical income with modeling and acting jobs in movies, theater, and television. When she’s not on a stage or in a studio she is following her other passion – teaching music to kids.
Her music combines influences from the many places her youth has taken her and the many lessons her children Joshua and Olivia have taught her. She connects with her audiences and always delivers a fun and solidly professional performance. She has gained invaluable experience through close working relationships with many of the best songwriters and producers in Music City.
Her first acoustic CD Free Spirit features twelve of her original tunes backed by some of the finest pickers in the Southeast. It has received excellent reviews. Dave Higgs, producer and host of syndicated radio's Bluegrass Breakdown, called it a "project chock full of interesting tunes, great arrangements, and fine picking, all propelled by LaTresa's unforgettable emotive and shimmering voice… great stuff."
Bill Gamble of Americana Music Place adds, "We don't have the space to fully express the pleasure we received listening to this beautiful new release…LaTresa's words, voice, and arrangements, backed by a great group of musicians makes this a 5-star album."
Free Spirit also demonstrates how her unique sound and writing style crosses over to multiple genres. Folkwax Magazine wrote, “absolutely brilliant sounds and turns of phrase…this is how songwriting is done…you may not know LaTresa yet or heard any of her amazing work…but you will…”; and Bluegrass Unlimited says, “LaTresa combines elements of bluegrass, tradional country, and blues to create a fresh sound. LaTresa’s vocals exude an earthy quality that ventures far beyond the boundaries of bluegrass.”
LaTresa has called Nashville, Tennessee ‘home’ since 2003. She plays songwriter nights and private events solo or with her bassist husband Randy Smith, who is also part of her exceptional band, the Signal. In the band’s first few years together, they have built fan bases from the coasts of Florida to California through the Midwest and northward to Wisconsin and Minnesota.
LaTresa’s roots run deep, her music is effective, her personality is magnetic, her influence is powerful and the talented and committed members of her band compliment her perfectly.
LaTresa's new bluegrass CD "Love, Babies, Jesus, and Sweet Potato Pie" featuring ten original tunes and her band is now available as of December 2011.
Source: http://www.latresa.com/bio.html
