Vala Cupp

Vala Cupp was born in San Luis Obispo, California, in 1954 and has been singing Blues and R&B since the age of 15 (after hearing a recording of Bessie Smith). "It really struck me big time," Vala Cupp recalls.She became fascinated by "the most macabre tunes.""The strong ones are a kick in the butt to sing, and they're a strong emotional release. They are more colorful lyrically, give you more to work with when evoking a feeling."