About Sandy Atkinson

Sandy grew up in the foothills of the applachains in South Carolina, better known as The Piedmont.
Her musicial influences are: Etta James, Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, Otis Redding, Elvis, Joplin, Sam & Dave, Big Mama Thornton and her Mom to name a few. The gospel influence was there as well from the "tent singings" she went to as a child. She sang in church and school events from the age of 5 and started writing at 14 when her mom gave her first guitar. Her love for music was always a part of her life, but she kept it mostly at home or among friends. Then one day in 1988 she found herself sitting in to sing a song with some friends at a local area festival. The club owner who sponsored the festival heard her and asked if she would play the club some friday night.

She played that club and that festival many times over the next few years and gained a reputaition as as a writer and a blues singer. She then decided she wanted to see just what would happen if she tried to make a career of music, her life time love. She spent a summer in Maine doing a gig at a resort near Portland and then headed south to Florida in 1994. She met some great musicians in the Tampa bay area who liked her songs and she released her first CD, in 1996 with Little Juke and their band, 1 Nite Stand.. The CD of 10 orginal songs received some great reviews and air play on many public radio stations around the US, Australia and Europe. Her second CD, Why Baby Why, was produced by Tampa's Blues Godfather, Rock Bottom and released in 1999. John Street played piano on a few tracks. He soon left town to sign up with Anson Funderburke and has been playin the blues with them since. Why Baby Why included 10 orginal tracks and received good reviews and airplay on Blues shows in the US and abroad.

Her 3rd CD "Million Dollar Baby" was released in October 2001 and brings 12 more orginal songs. Reviews are good with some who believe this is the best one yet. It is also getting airplay on many public radio stations. "I love to write and I'm very lucky to have had such wonderful musicians to work with. It wouldn't have been the same without them. A "Best Of" is in the works. CDs are availble online, mail order and at gigs

Locally, Sandy was the Committee Chairperson for the Suncoast Blues Society's Blues in the Schools program (2001-2005) and enjoyed going into the schools to share the history and joy of blues with the kids. She hosted and produced "Gator Blues & News" a one hour talk/music TV show which featured local area blues artists. The show included more than a dozen interviews with Tampa Bay area artists and aired January to May 2002. She occasionally writes articles for blues publications. She has been to Norway twice to play the blues including the famous Muddy Waters blues club in Oslo and the Hell Blues Festival. She wants to include other Euorpean blues venues on her next trip.

In 2005 she got together with Jon Puhl (guitarest on Why Baby Why CD) who she had worked and recorded with to form The MoDeans with drummer Phil Christman and bassist Mick Donner.