It’s hard to pin Lydia Fortune down to one musical category given her love for all types of music. From singer/songwriter to guest jazz vocalist, her calling card is an eclectic blend of blues, spirituals, country, pop, jazz and more. Her interpretive vocals reflect a unique singing style that has been honed over 40 years of performance. The music's the thing. A sense of adventure and a willingness to collaborate keeps her approach vibrant and alive.
Fortune began public performance as a folk singer in the early 70’s, and in the 80's helped form a local R&B band called 'Broken Ground'. In the early 90's, she was a featured vocalist for the 'Crown Hill Jazz Sextet'. Later she joined Worcester pianist, Jim Heffernan in forming the Heffernan/Fortune Trio for a 3-year stint. By the late 90's, she was performing at community and private events as an independent artist.
In 2000, she teamed up with husband and wife team, Dan and Gail Hunt. That connection, which remains strong today, gave her an opportunity to really develop and refine her own style. In 2001, they backed her as Lydia Fortune & Company on her first recording, 'Songs from the Road', which earned her Best New Artist in the 2001 Worcester Wormtown Sound Awards. The CD featured 10 original songs and established her as a singer/songwriter. Her second CD, 'All Over the Map' (2003), succeed in further blurring musical lines. The nine cover tunes highlighted her ability to create fresh new approaches to old tunes, while the four originals served to sharpen her songwriting skills.
Occasionally, Fortune is featured as a guest jazz vocalist with the Paul Combs Pocket Big Band and can be found at the Webster House Restaurant (Folk'n & A Open Mic) on most Monday evenings, and at Borders Open Mic on Rt. 9, Shrewsbury on Friday evenings.