Strehli sang with Austin-based bands including the Fabulous Rockets, Sunnyland Special, and James Polk And The Brothers starting in 1966. In 1970, she teamed up with bluesman W.C. Clark in the Southern Feeling blues band. From 1971 until she left Austin, Strehli worked at Clifford Antone’s blues club as a singer, stage manager, and booker, introducing new acts including Stevie Ray Vaughn. Vaughn returned the favor in 1985, bringing Strehli on stage to sing with him during his Carnegie Hall concert. In 1987, Strehli released her first album, Soul Shake, with blues standards from Elmore James, J.B. Hutto and Eddie Taylor and Strehli’s own compositions. In spite of a guest appearance on Austin City Limits and a tour with Doug Sahm, the album was not a big seller. Strehli’s best-know album is probably 1990’s Dreams Come True, a collaboration with Austin contemporaries Marcia Ball and Lou Ann Barton. Strehli left Austin in 1993, moving to California. Over the next five years, she released two more albums, Soul Shake and Deja Blue. She also made guest appearances on albums with Maria Muldaur and Pinetop Perkins. In 2005, Strehli released Blue Highway, which featured guest appearances from Marcia Ball, Maria Muldaur and Paul Thon. Strehli now devotes most of her time to running her Marin County restaurant, Rancho Nicasio, where she occasionally performs. |
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