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Peggy Ratusz - Playin’ it Forward.

Blues/Jazz/Swing & Soul chanteuse, Peggy Ratusz has a crystal clear, swanky, funky and fun range of nostalgic to modern vocal stylings that effectively transmits the groove and the lyrical content. She’s been honing her craft for over thirty five years. And for the past ten, she’s either won or placed in the Western North Carolina Readers poll for Best in Blues. This year, she was named Best Vocalist and was also voted as the regional artist who gives back to the community the most. 

With her stellar backing instrumentalists, this “ruby-throated” International Blues Challenge semifinalist 2008, 2010 and 2015, thrives on sharing her interpretations and influences from all kinds of stages: Wedding Receptions, Cocktail Hours, Rehearsal Dinners, Corporate themed events, Bar and Bat Mitzvah’s, Festivals, Clubs and dinner theaters. She’s opened for the Tedeschi Trucks Band, the late great, Sean Costello (Susan Tedeschi Band’s guitarist), Geoff Atchison, Taj Mahal, Denise LaSalle and Mac Arnold and Plate Ful O’ Blues.

Repeat clients like Chattanooga’s Riverbend Festival, Omni Grove Park Inn, The Inn at Biltmore Estate, The Cliffs at Keowee, know they can count on Peggy to provide just the right playlist with the skill set to execute it. Accolades always mention her professionalism and include how easy she and her accomplished players are, to get along with.

You’ll hear an array of delightful and delicious Swing and American songbook Jazz, jumpin as well as slow burning Blues, Old School R&B and Soul.  Her influences range from Bessie Smith to Elvis Presley, Smokey Robinson to Bonnie Raitt, Frank Sinatra & Jobim to Wilson Picket & Aretha Franklin, from Sister Rosetta Tharpe & Ray Charles to Imelda May & Stevie Ray Vaughn. She and her Daddies are ready to Swing your reception or private party. But if its background music you need, or if you just want to enhance a cocktail hour, she and her impeccable duo or trio can adapt to any ambience you wish to create.  

You’ll find this matriarch behind the scenes a well. She books a singer songwriter in the round and a “Female Artist Spotlight Night.”  “Women Making Music” is the column she writes each month for WNC Woman Magazine and is a vocal coach to students who range from novice to professional. Playin’ it forward is her motto and her calling. 

 

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SONG LIST

Classic Country

Heartaches by the Number - Ray Price
Help Me Make it Through the Night - Kris Kristopherson
Honky Tonk Blues - Hank Williams
If I Needed You - EmmyLou Harris
I'm Movin On - Willie Nelson
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams
Long Ride Home - Patty Griffin
Me and Bobbie McGee - Janis Joplin
Miss the Mississippi and You - Roseanne Cash
One of These Days - EmmyLou Harris
Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash
She's Got You - Johnny Cash
Two More Bottles of Wine - Delbert McClinton
Walkin' After Midnight - Patsy Cline
You Never Can Tell - EmmyLou Harris

Classic Rock n' Roll and Pop

Baby It's you - Patty Smithe
Bad Moon Rising - Credence
Born On the Bayou - Credence
Breakin' Up is Hard to Do - Neil Sedaka
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkle
Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
Don't Do Me No Favors - James Hunter
Fire - Bruce Springstein
Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
Hold Me Tight - The Beatles
How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You - James Taylor
I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles
It's Now or Never - Elvis Presley
It's So Easy - Buddy Holly
Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
Johnny Got a BoomBoom - Imelda May
Little Sister - Elvis/Dwight
Long Train Runnin' - Doobie Brothers
Not Fade Away - Buddy Holly
Oh Darlin - Beatles
People Say - Meters
Rockin' Pneumonia - Phoebe Snow
Runaway - Bonnie Raitt's version
Spinning Wheel - David Clayton-Thomas
Sunny - Bobby Heb
Take me to the River - Delbert McClinton/Eva Cassidy
Under the Boardwalk - The Drifters
We Can Work it Out - The Beatles

Motown Old School Soul & R&B

100 Days, 100 Nights - Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
Baby I love You - Aretha Franklin
Chain of Fools - Aretha Franklin
Cruisin - Smokey Robinson
Get Up - James Brown
Groove Me - King Floyd
Hold On I'm Comin' - Sam & Dave
I Feel Good - James Brown
I Thank You - Sam and Dave
Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder
Just One Look - Linda Ronstadt
Knock on Wood - Eddy Floyd
Midnight Hour - Wilson Picket
Mustang Sally - Wilson Picket
My Girl - Temptations
Proud Mary - Tina Turner
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Rock Steady - Aretha Franklin
Shotgun - Jr. Walker & the Allstars
Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Stevie Wonder
Some Kind of Wonderful - Joss Stone Version
Stand By Me - Ben E. King
Superstition - Stevie Wonder
Sweet Soul Music - Sam & Dave
Treat her Right - Roy Head
Use Me Up - Bill Withers

Pop Ballad

Blue Moon - Elvis Presley
Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley
Come Away With Me - Norah Jones
Crazy - Patsy Cline
Crazy Love - Van Morrison
Dream a Little Dream of Me - Cass Elliot
Drift Away - Dobie Grey
Halleluja   - Leonard Cohen
Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack
Lean On Me - Bill Withers
Let's Stay Together - Al Green
Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley
Moon River - Andy Williams
My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
Natural Woman - Carole King
Over the Rainbow - Judy Garland
Since I fell for You - Bobby Hebb
Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us - Alison Krauss/Robert Plant
Sittin on the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
Something - The Beatles
Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
This Masquerade - George Benson
Till There was You - The Beatles
Tomorrow Night - Patty Griffin
Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers
Walkin in the Sun - Percy Sledge
When A Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton

Swing Jazz Blues

Ain't Doin' Too Bad - Eva Cassidy
All in Love is Fair - Stevie Wonder
All The Way - Frank Sinatra
Anything But Love - Ella Fitzgerald
At Last - Etta James
Baby I'm a Fool - Melody Gardot
Baby What you Want Me To Do - Jimmy Reed
Belle of the Blues - Original
Big Bad Handsome Man - Imelda May
Blue Skies - 
Blues on a Holiday - Susan Tedeschi
Born Under a Bad Sign - Eric Clapton
Bring it On Home To Me - Sam Cooke
Built for Comfort - Blues Shuffle
Bygone Blues - Original
Come On a-My House - Rosemary Clooney
Come Rain or Come Shine - Ray Charles
Comes Love - Billie Holiday
Crazy Blues - Perry Bradford
Cry Me a River - Julie London
Cry To Me - Soloman Burke
Dance me to the End of Love - Leonard Cohen
Do Your Duty - Bessie Smith
Don't Wait Too Long - Madeline Peyroux
Don't You Feel My Leg - Blu Lu Baker
Don't You Tear My Clothes - James Cotton
Every Day I Have the Blues - BB King
Feel Like Makin' Love - Roberta Flack
Fever - Peggy Lee
Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra
Foolin' Round With You - Walter Hyatt
For Once in My Life - Stevie Wonder
Further on Up the Road - Eric Clapton
Georgia - Ray Charles
Give it Up or Let Me Go - Bonnie Raitt
God Bless the Child - Billie Holiday
Gotta Get Drunk - Willie Nelson
Guilty - Bonnie Raitt
Halleluja I Love Him So - Ray Charles
He's Got Me Goin - Bessie Smith
Hesitation Blues - W.C. Handy
Hip Shakin' Mama - Irma Thomas
Honeymoon in June - Original
Hot to Go - Original
Hound Dog - Big Mama Thornton
I Don't Need no Doctor - John Scofield's Version
I Fell in Love - Susan Tedeschi
I Know - Bonnie Raitt
I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl - Nina Simone
If the Stars were Mine - Melody Gardot
I'm Lost Without You - Colin James
It Had to Be You - Frank Sinatra
It's Only a Paper Moon - Natalie Cole
It's Rainin' - Irma Thomas
Just in Time - Irving Berlin
Just the Two Of Us - George Benson
Kansas City - Muddy Waters
Kissing In the Dark - Memphis Minnie
Kitchen Man - Edna Pinkard
Liquor Store - Devil Doll
Little by Little - Susan Tedeschi
Lonely Avenue - Ray Charles
Long John Blues - Tommy George
Louisiana Fairytale - Several people
L-O-V-E - Nat King Cole
Love me Like A Man - Bonnie Raitt
Love My Baby - Trampled Under Foot
Lullaby of the Leaves - Bernice Petkere
Makin Woopee - Dr. John
Mama Goes Where Papa Goes - Kay Starr
Mama He Treats Ur Daughter Mean - Ruth Brown
Matchbox - Ike Turner
Meditation - Jobim
Mighty Tight Woman - Sippy Wallace
Mojo Workin - Muddy Waters
Moondance - Van Morrison
My Babe - Little Walter
My Funny Valentine - Rogers & Hart
My Love Is - Diana Krall
Night Time is the Right Time - Ray Charles
One Track Mind - Peggy Ratusz
Only Foolin' Round with You - Walter Hyatt
Out of Nowhere - Charlie Parker
Pennies From Heaven - Burke/Johnston
Pride & Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughn
Reach For Me - Walter Hyatt
Richland Woman Blues - Mississippi John Hurt
Rocket to the Moon - Colin James
Route 66 - Natlie Cole
Ruler of My Heart - Irma Thomas
Runnin' Down My Man - Merline Johnson
See See Rider - Lavern Baker
Send For Me - Ollie Jones
Sentimental Journey - Doris Day
Seven Day Fool - Etta James
Shaky Ground - Delbert McClinton
She's No Lady She's My Wife - Lyle Lovett
Something to Talk About - Bonnie Raitt
Something's Goin on in My Room - Colin James
St. Louis Blue - W.C. Handy
Steppin Out With My Baby - Tony Bennett
Stormy Monday Blues - Bobby Bland
Straighten up and Fly Right - Nat King Cole
Sugar in My Bowl - Nina Simone
Summertime - George Gershwin
Sway - Dean Martin
Swingin' the Blues - Count Basie
Take it Easy Greasy - Lil Johnson
Temptation - Tom Waits
The Look of Love - Burt Bacharach
The Nearness of You - Hoagy Carmichael
The Stuff is Here - Cleo Brown
The Very Thought of You - Etta James
Tore Down - Freddy King
Turn Me On - Nina Simone
Twisted - Annie Ross
Unchain My Heart - Ray Charles
Unforgettable - Nat King Cole
Victim of the Blues - Ma Gertrude Rainey
Wade in the Water - Eva Cassidy
Was I Drunk - Chick Endor
Watchdog - Etta James
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Why Don't You Do Right - Kansas Joe McCoy
Wild About That Thing - Bessie Smith
Willow Weep for Me - Ann Ronell
You Are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder
You Got to Know How - Sippy Wallace
You Send Me - Sam Cooke
Your Heart is as Black as Night - Melody Gardot
You're The One - Blues Shuffle

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