Blues Virtuoso Brings Award-Winning Guitar Mastery to Tampa Bay’s Premier Music Festival on May 10th
Tampa Bay music lovers are in for a genuine treat as four-time consecutive Blues Music Award winner Sue Foley takes the stage at Tropical Heatwave 2025. The Canadian-born guitar virtuoso will bring her exceptional talent and high-energy performance to this year’s festival on May 10th.
A Triple Threat: Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter
Foley stands as one of today’s most complete blues artists. Mesmerized by her father’s guitar from an early age in Canada, she launched her musical journey at just 16. By 21, she had relocated to Austin, Texas – a move that would prove pivotal in her career – where she began recording for the legendary Antone’s, the historic blues label and nightclub that helped launch Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Her impressive musicianship has earned her the prestigious Blues Music Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist (Koko Taylor Award) for four consecutive years: 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. The accolades don’t stop there – she recently received Guitarist of the Year and Blues Act of the Year at the 2023 Austin Music Awards, plus the Lifetime Achievement/Blues with a Feeling Award at the 2024 Maple Blues.
One Guitar Woman: A New Acoustic Journey
While fans know Foley primarily for her electric prowess on her signature paisley Fender Telecaster, her musical evolution continues with her latest release. “One Guitar Woman,” released March 29, 2024, marks her first solo acoustic album and pays tribute to pioneering women of the guitar. The album showcases Foley’s intricate fingerpicking on a nylon-string acoustic, highlighting her versatility as she explores the folk and acoustic roots of blues while honoring influential female guitarists spanning four decades.
In Distinguished Company
Throughout her career, Foley has shared stages with blues royalty, including B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, and Billy F. Gibbons. Her live performances are legendary – high-energy, guitar-driven spectacles deeply rooted in the Texas blues sound that shaped her musical identity.
Critical Acclaim
Critics continue to marvel at Foley’s complete package as a performer. The Philadelphia Inquirer notes her “killer voice, an impossibly alluring blend of sex and innocence to go with those blazing guitar chops,” while Vintage Guitar magazine praises her “hot licks and tasty riffs, all inspired by classic Texas blues.”
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience one of blues music’s finest talents in the perfect festival setting. Secure your tickets now for Tropical Heatwave 2025 and prepare for an unforgettable night of world-class blues from Sue Foley on May 10th.
Additional bands at Tropical Heatwave 2025
Leave a Reply
