Brigitte Purdy

Mother of the Crossroads

Dirtshack Records

Brigitte Rios Purdy has felt the need to sing about her inner feelings and emotions since she was a child. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Purdy had soon expressed her desire to become a singer, with an inclination toward soul, blues, and R&B. Her profound love and admiration for the late B.B. King pushed her to compose her very first songs. Because of her silky singing voice, she was asked to sing backing vocals for the Who and Paul Rodgers. She has appeared on stage with artists like Walter Trout, Tim Bogart, Dionne Warwick, and Dolly Parton, among others. A working radio host, Purdy was encouraged by the positive comments of the music press. “Mother of the Crossroads” follows on the heels of her debut recording, 2024’s “Still I Rise.” The new album is produced by Dave Osti and recorded at the Dirtshack Studio in Los Angeles, California.

Vocalist Purdy is accompanied by Dave Osti on guitar, piano, bass, drums, percussion, and co-writer on most songs; keyboardist and Hammond B-3 organ player Drake Shining; harmonica ace Michael Fell on one track; and drummer Jimmy Keegan on one track. Backing vocalists include Osti, Purdy, and Shining.

Purdy opens with “Sugar Fried Candy,” with some great drumming from Osti, on a song that explores the themes of nostalgia and sweetness in relationships, as Purdy sings “Some kinda lovin there ain’t no doubt, Sugar fried candy respect left out, scanning the horizons, what do I find, nothin’ but a man child can’t make up your mind. I don’t need persuading; this is how I stand, don’t be intimidated that’s all I ever wanted in a man. I could caress you like a gentle wind, or be your little savior begging you to sin. Don’t you think I’m here now to worship and obey, it might be better if you turned and walked away, I don’t need persuading; this is how I stand, don’t be intimidated; that’s all I ever wanted in a man…listen to me now, sweetness and respect.”

On the funky “Blues Collar Woman,” with some great B-3 from Shining, Purdy chimes “Let me tell ya, from diggin dirty ditches from washing dirty dishes, no more waiting for long time wishes, tie another apron string on them dreams are long gone. I’m a blues collar woman, day to day and dime to dime, I’m a blues collar woman you never can buy back the time…Pushing past the edges struggling on and on, all those years for someone else’s riches, too afraid to dirty your hands blues collar woman I still stand…I can handle your mess, hear you confess, give you a piece of my soul, heal a scar, light your cigar, keeping it all in control, when it’s all said and done you can’t make the green without the blues collar woman…she got the blues, yeah, you know I paid my dues, she got the blues, yeah.”

“Memphis Hotline,” with more B-3 from Shining and guitar from Osti, features Purdy as she chants “Bus rolled into Memphis, shuffle in my walk, full moon over midnight you can hear the city talk, we got a hotline, we got a hotline, born in another city but you can’t get Memphis off your mind. BB King and Union, Second street and Beale, WC Handy, and the Blue Note bar and grill, we got a hotline, we got a hotline, born in another city but you can’t get Memphis off your mind. Oh, make it greasy like my blues, yeah, hey, hey…I love me some Memphis.”

On the title track, “Mother of the Crossroads,” with Osti playing a sturdy bass line, Purdy moans “Midnight magic mojo mama comin’ to soothe you, mystical magical potions ready to do you, black raven savior got ruby’s and sapphires, born as the bride of the red moon she gonna mystify. Tides of the ocean dreams in blue, I feel the motion and you feel it too. Mighty mother of the crossroads, she got sunshine, dreams at the tips of her fingers, you better love child…mama, mama, mama, she gonna do you, cryin’ cryin’, yeah I’m at the crossroads and I’m cryin’ to ya mama, mama, mama, mama, cryin’ ooh…” I am reminded of the Moby Grape song “Ooh Mama Ooh” released in 1969.

“Losin Time For Love,” with slide guitar from Osti, features Purdy as she declares “Slow down this world, slow down this world, ‘Cause we got time, time to find out, we got no time for gamblin, were losing time for love, we’ll I know this girl, and she knows this world, up and down and side to side. Well we got no time for gamblin, were losing time for love…running out of time for love, running out of time for love, come on now…”

On the optimistic “Make Love Higher,” with Osti on piano, Purdy wails “Oh bitter world I feel ya, can’t let no bad heart steal you. Just keep my rainy eyes on the road and when my soul feels abandoned, think about the sweet dreams I’m handed. Think about the good times that I’ve known, oh ain’t no worries now what you’re going through. Just take the sweet light, keep it shining through. Love found a way to get higher. Run with the midnight desire, rise like the smoke of the fire. My love found a way to get higher. Sometimes we break down to pieces, get on our knees and pray to Jesus. Just tryin to take care of number one. But oh how our eyes get blinded, looking for some gold but you won’t find it. Sometimes you fly to close to the sun, oh don’t you worry now, do what you do. Just take the sweet light and keep shining through. Love finds a way to get higher, run with the midnight desire, rise like the smoke of the fire. My love found a way to get higher.” In Greek mythology, it was Icarus with his wings of wax who flew too close to the sun.

One of my favorites, “Too Full Of You,” features Purdy as she groans “Better watch your behavior; I’m not that blind. Poker tables, your fables, red roses and wine. You don’t want me, wanna flaunt me, that just won’t do, you say you love me, but your above me. Baby you know it just ain’t true, you can’t have me when your too full of you. Got a mind to, run behind you see what you do today. Not your mama, no drama ain’t goin outta my way. You won’t haunt me, can’t taunt me what’s a blue girl to do. You say you love me, your above me. Baby you know it just ain’t true, you can’t have me no. Treating me the way you been. Ain’t rollin those dice again. Can’t save you, rearrange you won’t let you mess my mind. Someday you’ll want a real live woman, but it ain’t what your gonna find…you say you love me, but your above me. Baby you know it just ain’t true, you can’t have me when your too full of you.”

On “Come To Mama,” with guitar and drums from Osti, Purdy cries “Whatchya do when you fall apart, got the blues and a broken heart, come to mama. Straight trippin and your goin down, good lovin gonna bring you round, come to mama. I said it before I’ll say it again. When the bad bad days get the blues, they come to mama. Start cryin like a lonely child, good honey got you screamin wild come to mama, side steppin gets you just so far, make you feel like a shining star, come to mama, open the door into a suffering sin, when the bad bad days get the blues, they come to mama. Hot hot fire tryin’ to burn you down, don’t you worry don’t you make a sound, come to mama. Clowns messin with you day after day. That’s not the game mama, mama wants to play. Said it before and I say it again, when a bad bad day gets the blues…come to mama, come to mama, come to mama…” Perhaps inspired by a song from Etta James.

On the closer, “Rise Like The Water,” Purdy croons “Some time ago, blue-collar man salt of the earth scars on his hands, rise like the water, blowin like the sand, deep as a river carving through the land, rain comin down, disciples wash away the need, you can’t heal the wounds of the world, you gotta let it bleed. Fever like a fire hasn’t broken yet, mountain of desire, ocean of regret, eyes cross a field of heartache sow the same old seed. You can’t heal the wounds of the world you gotta let it bleed. Rise like the water, gotta let it bleed. Rise like the water,” with biblical references.

Brigitte Purdy has graced stages around the world, including the Chicago Blues Festival, the Vila do Conde Blues Festival in Portugal, and the Hollerand, where she headlines alongside the legendary Bobby Rush. Not previously mentioned, she also shared the stage with Sugaray Rayford, Tommy Castro, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, and Kenny Neal. Yet with all the major stages and unforgettable performances, one of Purdy’s most cherished memories remains singing harmonies alongside her grandmother Netty, who not only sang like an angel but embodied one as well.

Purdy dedicates “Mother of the Crossroads” to the fond memories of her beloved grandmother, whose love, voice, and spirit continue to live in the music. “Mother of the Crossroads” positions Purdy at the center of her story and should increase the awareness of her fine storytelling and vocals.

Richard Ludmerer

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