View source for Eliza Neals

{{Multiple issues|
{{Peacock|date=October 2022}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2022}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=October 2022}}
}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Eliza Neals
| image           =
| caption         =
| alt             =
| image_size      =
| birth_name      = Elizabeth Thomasian Neals<ref name="Discogs"/>
| alias           = Eliza
| birth_date      = {{birth date and age|1974|02|08}}
| birth_place     = [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], United States
| instrument      =
| genre           = [[Blues rock]]
| occupation      = Singer, songwriter, pianist, record producer, arranger
| years_active    = 1990s–present
| label           =
| associated_acts =
| website         = [http://elizaneals.com/ Official website]
}}
'''Elizabeth Thomasian Neals'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jaxsta.com/profile/abb1385e-105c-417e-9113-6612d207ae64/catalogue?view=tile|title=Jaxsta|website=Jaxsta.com|access-date=October 12, 2022}}{{unreliable source?|date=October 2022}}</ref>  (born February 8, 1974),<ref>{{Cite web|date=2008-10-16|title=Eliza's Makeover|url=https://www.bravotv.com/tim-gunns-guide-to-style/season-2/elizas-makeover|access-date=2021-11-05|website=Bravotv.com|language=en-US}}</ref> professionally known as '''Eliza Neals,''' is an American [[blues rock]] singer, songwriter, pianist, record producer, and arranger. She has released ten albums since 1997. Neals counts [[Barrett Strong]] and [[Joe Louis Walker]] as her mentors and inspiration.<ref name="Bluestown"/>
==Early life and education==
Neals was born on February 8, 1974, in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]],<ref name="Scene"/> and raised in [[Southfield, Michigan]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2018/03/worldwide_sensation_eliza_neals_the_narcotics_brin.html|title=Jersey City's Eliza Neals bringing the blues to FM|last=Journal|first=Jim Testa {{!}} For The Jersey|date=2018-03-12|website=nj|language=en|access-date=2020-01-16}}</ref> Neals began singing and performing with her two sisters, but as she reached adolescence, was advised by her father that "you have to get a degree to live under this roof".<ref name="Bluestown"/><ref name="Garage"/>  She chose to study opera and enrolled at [[Wayne State University]], where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
==Career==
Neals toured across Europe with the [[Wayne State University]] concert chorale, using her [[mezzo-soprano]] voice.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} Back in Detroit, Neals began to perform in local clubs, where she honed her vocal styling and improved her piano playing attributes.<ref name="Garage"/> In the mid-1990s, a chance encounter in a Detroit area health food store between Neals and customer [[Barrett Strong]] led to Strong signing her to his own record, [[Blarritt Records]].<ref name="Highway">{{Cite web|url=https://www.blueshighwayus61.com/the-blues-scene/eliza-neals/|title=Eliza Neals|website=Blueshighwayus61.com|date=June 13, 2020|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref> In 1997, her debut album, ''I Want More'', was issued with Neals billed simply as Eliza. A follow-up album, ''I'm Waiting'', appeared two years later.<ref name="Eliza"/> Neals was the co-songwriter and co-producer on ''Stronghold II'' (2008), Strong's most recent album.<ref name="Bluestown"/><ref name="Garage"/>
Neals self-released four albums over a ten year period, culminating in 2015's ''Breaking and Entering''.<ref name="Albums"/> Her original compositions gave Neals a 2015 [[Detroit Music Awards|Detroit Music Award]] for 'Outstanding Blues/R&B Songwriter'.<ref name="Garage"/>  In 2017, her next offering, ''10,000 Feet Below'', saw all but one of the 11 tracks written, or co-written, by Neals.  The exception was her rendition of [[Skip James]]'s number, "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/10000-feet-below-mw0003025409|title=Eliza Neals - 10,000 Feet Below Album Reviews, Songs & More  |website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref> [[Billy Davis (guitarist)|Billy Davis]] and [[Paul Nelson (musician)|Paul Nelson]] were featured guitarists on the album, which was issued on E-H Records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/10000-feet-below-mw0003025409/credits|title=10,000 Feet Below - Eliza Neals &#124; Credits |website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref> Neals went on to win the 'Blues Artist of the Year' from the 'Detroit Black Music Awards' in 2018. ''Eliza Neals and the Narcotics (180 gram vinyl)'', credited to that 'band' was released in 2019.<ref name="Albums"/> The same year witnessed the July 4 release of the EP, ''Sweet or Mean'', also on E-H Records. [[Popa Chubby]] oversaw production of the collection, which included horn work by [[Ian Hendrickson-Smith]] and [[Michael Leonhart]].<ref name="Muse">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rockandbluesmuse.com/2019/07/16/review-eliza-neals-sweet-or-mean/|title=Review Eliza Neals 'Sweet or Mean'|first=Martine|last=Ehrenclou|date=16 July 2019|website=Rockandbluesmuse.com|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
Neals's next album was the reflective ''Black Crow Moan'' (2020).<ref name="Scene">{{Cite web|url=https://www.makingascene.org/eliza-neals-is-making-a-scene-3/|title=Eliza Neals is Making a Scene|first=Richard|last=L'Hommedieu|website=Makingascene.org|date=May 2, 2022|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref> Neals noted it was "... more sentimental – a lot of stuff coming from way, way back. I think it’s more heartfelt. More like a confessional".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harry |date=2020-04-20 |title=Interview I Eliza Neals |url=https://www.bluestownmusic.nl/interview-i-eliza-neals/ |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=Bluestown Music |language=nl}}</ref> It was recorded before the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States]], and featured guest appearances from [[Joe Louis Walker]] and [[Derek St. Holmes]].<ref name="Bluestown">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bluestownmusic.nl/interview-i-eliza-neals/|title=Interview I Eliza Neals|date=20 April 2020|website=Bluestownmusic.nl|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref> In 2021 Eliza Neals re-released ''Sugar Daddy'' written by ''Barrett Strong'', featuring King Solomon Hicks on guitar, and airplay/rotation on Sirius XM Bluessville. while ''Black Crow Moan'' was primarily ballad-driven, reflecting the times, ''Badder to the Bone'', was a return to her fuller blues rock sound.{{according to whom|date=October 2022}} Neals wrote or co-wrote every song bar one{{which|date=October 2022}}, and she arranged and co-produced the collection in conjunction with Michael Puwal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.americanbluesscene.com/2022/05/more-than-just-bad-eliza-neals-is-badder-to-the-bone/|title=More Than Just Bad, Eliza Neals is 'Badder to the Bone'|website=Americanbluesscene.com|date=May 13, 2022|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Bluesrock">{{Cite web|url=https://bluesrockreview.com/2022/04/eliza-neals-badder-to-the-bone-review.html|title=Eliza Neals: Badder to the Bone Review|first=Mary Jaira|last=Reyes|website=Bluesrockreview.com|date=April 19, 2022|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref> The album had Neals providing both vocals and piano work, with [[Lance Lopez]] guesting on Guitar [[Peter Keys]] guesting on [[Hammond organ]], plus [[Billy Davis (guitarist)|Billy Davis]] playing guitar on one track, "Got A Gun", while [[Paul Randolph (musician)|Paul Randolph]] played bass guitar on two songs. The [[Steve Winwood]] song, "[[Can't Find My Way Home]]", had a makeover by Neals.<ref name="Blast">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/eliza-neals-badder-to-the-bone-album-review/|title=Eliza Neals – Badder To The Bone &#124; Album Review|first=Steve|last=Jones|website=Bluesblastmagazine.com|date=April 11, 2022|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Blues">{{Cite web|url=https://blues.gr/m/blogpost?id=1982923:BlogPost:487302|title=Q&A with multi-talented musician Eliza Neals, sultry powerful vocals, spirited moves, and soulful piano playing|website=Blues.gr|access-date=October 12, 2022}}{{unreliable source?|date=October 2022}}</ref>
She performed at the 2017 and 2019 [[Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival]]. Neals has been the supporting act for concerts by Barrett Strong, Joe Louis Walker, Popa Chubby, Peter Keys, [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]], [[Four Tops]], [[Tony Joe White]], [[Mike Zito]], [[Tommy Castro]], [[Walter Trout]], [[Albert Castiglia]], [[Micki Free]], [[Victor Wainwright]], and [[Solomon Hicks]].<ref name="Garage">{{Cite web|url=https://artsgarage.org/event/eliza-neals/|title=Eliza Neals|website=Artsgarage.org|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
==Discography==
Albums:<ref name="Discogs">{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/4269859-Eliza-Neals|title=Eliza Neals|website=Discogs.com|access-date=October 12, 2022}}{{unreliable source?|date=October 2022}}</ref><ref name="Albums">{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eliza-neals-mn0001955278|title=Eliza Neals Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Eliza">{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/2210443-Elizabeth-Thomasian|title=Elizabeth Thomasian|website=Discogs.com|access-date=October 12, 2022}}{{unreliable source?|date=October 2022}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year || Title || Record label || Additional credits
|-
| 1997 || ''I Want More'' || style="text-align:center;"|Blarritt Records || Eliza
|-
| 1999 || ''I'm Waiting'' || style="text-align:center;"|Blarritt Records || Eliza
|-
| 2005 || ''Liquorfoot'' || style="text-align:center;"|Self-released ||
|-
| 2008 || ''No Frogs for Snakes'' || style="text-align:center;"|Self-released ||
|-
| 2012 || ''Messin With a Fool'' || style="text-align:center;"|Self-released ||
|-
| 2015 || ''Breaking and Entering'' || style="text-align:center;"|E-H Records ||
|-
| 2017 || ''10,000 Feet Below'' || style="text-align:center;"|E-H Records ||
|-
| 2019 || ''Eliza Neals and the Narcotics'' || style="text-align:center;"|E-H Records || Eliza Neals and the Narcotics
|-
| 2019 || ''Sweet or Mean'' (EP) || style="text-align:center;"|E-H Records ||Produced by Popa Chubby
|-
| 2020 || ''Black Crow Moan'' || style="text-align:center;"|E-H Records ||
|-
| 2022 || ''Badder to the Bone'' || style="text-align:center;"|E-H Records ||
|-
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://elizaneals.com/ Official website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neals, Eliza}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American women singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American blues singers]]
[[Category:Electric blues musicians]]
[[Category:Blues rock musicians]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Michigan]]
[[Category:Singers from Detroit]]
[[Category:21st-century American women musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Wayne State University alumni]]