Roosevelt Dean - Touch Somebody's Hand (2005) [CD Rip]

Born in Phenix City, Alabama, Roosevelt Dean grew up in a blues neighborhood; however, he did not start playing blues until he came to Syracuse, New York, in the sixties. But the moment he started, audiences could tell that his gospel singing and rock and soul experiences served him well. While Rosie can wail out all the classic blues songs, most of his performances and recordings are made up of his original compositions, which show his diversity as they vary from Delta blues to R & B to his favorite sound, Chicago blues.

Though his guitar and harmonica playing have the crowds hopping, it is his rich voice that gets to their souls, as evidenced by the fact that Walt Shepard, editor for the Syracuse New Times, named him "The Voice of Syracuse." Further to his credit, he has been honored more than once as Best Blues Vocalist at the SAMMY Awards, along with his band being named Best Blues Band. This year in addition to being named Best Blues Vocalist, his recording Blues Heaven was named Best Band/Recording and its title song was honored as Best Song at the SAMMY's.

Not surprisingly, he and his band have won similar awards at the Budweiser New York State Blues Festival. In recent years, the readers' poll of The Blues Connection named Roosevelt their Favorite Male Blues Vocalist. Syracuse Mayor Roy Bernardi presented Roosevelt the "Key to the City" for his contributions as an ambassador spreading the word about the city's image as a northern blues mecca. In October of 2001, the New York State Legislature made a proclamation which they later presented to Rosie recognizing his contribution to the arts scene of New York State.

Over the years his recordings Tell the World, South of Boogie, I Don't Wanna Leave You, Roosevelt Dean and the Spellbinders Live at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, and Blues Heaven have delighted fans, with the latter three (CD releases) receiving fine reviews in Living Blues and Blues Review as well as in international blues reviews. With the help of these publications and his web site, Roosevelt's music has gained international airtime which has demanded that he tour out of state. His tours have taken him "back home" to Columbus and Atlanta, Georgia, as well as to places such as Nashville, Memphis, Louisville, Greenville, Tupelo, Richmond, Tallahassee, Daytona Beach, Rehobeth Beach, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, and Philadelphia. And this is just the beginning if blues enthusiasts on the west coast and in Europe have their way.