“A beautiful voice” - Taj Mahal
“Spellbinding” - Reed Watson, Single Lock Records
“Glamrockeuse” - France O television
“Adventurous” - Offbeat Magazine, New Orleans
“A great artist” - SAQ Gallery, Mexico City
“A masterpiece” - Jimbo Mathus, Squirrel Nut Zippers
“I’m so proud! Layla’s following in my footsteps, and doing it in her own way. And she’s got a mighty fine rockin’ New Orleans band too!” - Charlie Musselwhite
Layla Musselwhite is a New Orleans-based singer songwriter and slide guitarist who draws on a rich musical legacy via her father, blues legend Charlie Musselwhite. Charlie is Layla’s guitar teacher, instructing her in the deepest rhythms of the roots of the blues. Layla grew up on the road steeped in the music of the greatest artists of our time including Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, & John Lee Hooker. While her original music spans blues, soul, folk, and country, the touchstone is always the same - a deep understanding and respect for the rhythms and melodies at the heart of the blues.
Layla’s new all-original record is a full band family affair, produced by Jimbo Mathus and engineered by New Orleans legend Mike Napoletano. Mike worked with Jimbo on their platinum records with the Squirrel Nut Zippers and Daniel Lanois. All songs are written by Layla Musselwhite except Baby-o, written by Charlie Musselwhite. Charlie’s harp overdubs were recorded at Jim Dickinson’s Zebra Ranch in Mississippi. The album was recorded in New Orleans with support from the Threadhead Foundation and is scheduled for release in 2025.
Layla performs and records as a solo artist, in duo with Jimmy Robinson (Rolling Stone’s “Best of Fest” 2018), and with her full band of New Orleans heavyweights. Layla has shared festival stages with Pearl Jam, Lou Reed, Rage Against the Machine, Ani DiFranco, Taj Mahal, Elvin Bishop, Cyndi Lauper, and too many to name of the greatest blues artists of our era, as well as numerous performances and collaborations with her father Charlie. Layla makes New Orleans her home, so that she can play with the best musicians in the world, every day of the week.