VALERIE JUNE, THE TALENTED ROOTS ARTIST SPECIAL GUEST OF JOHN BUTLER TRIO

It will be Valerie Junethe talented artist from Tennessee, to perform opening for John Butler Trio on 15 July at Carroponte in Sesto San Giovanni (MI).

The young performer and songwriter will bring for the first time on an Italian stage the surprising blend of blues, folk, gospel, soul, country and bluegrass on his debut album, "Pushin' Against A Stone"one of the most critically acclaimed records in 2013.

Published for the Sunday Bestthe prestigious label of the British DJ Rob from Bankand registered with the Easy Eye Studio of Black Keys in Nashville, the record features production by Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) e Kevin Augunas (Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Florence & The Machine), and marks for Valerie June the completion of a journey made up of years of sacrifice and absolute dedication to music.

Valerie June began his career at a very young age singing in churches in Humboldt, Tennessee; he later honed his skills by coming into contact with the vibrant atmosphere of the nearby cities of Memphis and Nashville. Two different souls coexist in her music, the black one, linked to blues and gospel, and the white country-folk one: a fusion of different instances that is also expressed in the use of the banjo, an instrument linked to the white bluegrass tradition, but which has African origins.

After travelling between the east and west coasts performing as a street artist, in 2000 Valerie June returns to Memphis, where she works a variety of jobs (from dog-sitting to working as a saleswoman in an herbalist shop) to earn a living, with one goal: to make a studio album.

The turning point came in 2009: following his participation in the online programme of MTV "$5 Cover"Valerie manages to raise $15,000 through the crowd-funding site Kickstarter to finance the recording of his first record. Through word of mouth, his music reaches the ear of the producer Kevin Augunas and thereafter, by Dan Auerbach of Black Keys. The rest is recent history. In the past year, in addition to publishing the acclaimed "Pushin' Against A Stone"from which the single 'Workin' Woman Blues"Valerie collaborated with the producer of the Fugees John Forte for the hip-hop-blues track "Give Me Water"and has performed at world-renowned festivals such as the SXSW and the Bestival.