Mia Vermillion, Anacortes, WA
Mia Vermillion’s presence on the blues scene has the admired attention of both fans and critics alike. Based out of the Pacific Northwest, a current hot bed for blues talent, her 2009 independent debut CD titled "Alone Together With the Blues" sealed Mia’s transition into national awareness. Tracks from her debut record continue to play on both terrestrial radio and XM Sirius satellite radio.
In 2011, as a testament to her depth and breadth of talent, Mia tore up the main stage at the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon. She also opened two nights for Grammy nominee and Blues Hall of Fame inductee John Hammond at Seattle’s Jazz Alley.
Mia has spent 2012 touring regionally at prominent festivals and well-known venues, and working on the beginnings of her next recording project. Noteworthy performances include the Sunbanks, Willamette Valley, Untapped, and Dock of The Bay blues festivals. Mia headlined all three days of the Bremerton Blackberry Festival, and performed at the Taste of Tacoma and Comcast Bite of Seattle. You can Click Here to read statements by recent festival and venue owners.
Whether performing with a solid rhythm section and guitar behind her, or in a solo performance with her guitar, Mia Vermillion brings her own songs, beats and style to the blues creating a fresh unique sound. “…One of the best vocalists I’ve heard in a while..." says Graham Clarke with Blues Bytes Magazine. Mia’s voice and stage presence has been described as sultry and intoxicating. “…she infuses her singing with more humidity than Ma Rainey and more sex than Lena Horn,” according to AllAboutJazz.com’s Michael Bailey.
Mia's charismatic stage presence is supported by a crew of very gifted musicians: Jason Edwards, a talented young drummer out of Seattle; various notable Northwest bassists; and Rod Cook on slide and acoustic guitar. Collectively, these musicians have performed and recorded with such noteworthy artists as Heart, Taj Mahal, Vicci Martinez, The Halyards, and James "Curley" Cooke of the Steve Miller Band.
Her independent debut CD received national attention and rave reviews, boasting airplay on the national Roots Music Report Blues Radio chart Top 50 (2 weeks at #45 and #46) as well as rocketing to #2 on XM Radio's B.B. King’s Bluesville’s ‘Picks to Click’ with her recording of I'm Going to Copyright Your Kisses. Additionally, Mia and guitar/dobro master Orville Johnson won the Washington Blues Society’s blues challenge in the Solo/Duo category allowing them to represent the Society at the prestigious Blues Foundation 26th International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.
