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 Diunna Greenleaf has an incredible personal history to go along with an incredible singing voice. A personal history and a sense of time and place that are important for younger generations of blues musicians to not only understand and appreciate but to absorb and learn from as well. This is an artist who has been through so much and given so much of herself. Blues fans, as well, would benefit from listening to and learning from this amazing woman.
As those of us in the blues community know, blues music is a uniquely American art form, and Diunna Greenleaf, in her own distinct way, has been an active participant in keeping the blues alive and well for those future generations.
According to an earlier Blues Blast interview, “Tryin’ to Hold On,” the title track to Greenleaf’s 2011 album Trying to Hold On, “speaks to the connection between the elder statesmen and stateswomen of the blues and those that are currently on the scene, along with those that are yet to come to the party.”
It didn’t take long for those “elders” to realize that Diunna Greenleaf definitely belonged at the party. As she said back in 2011,
“They saw something in me. They saw that I could speak the old language…that I enjoyed presenting the old-style, in the old style. Yet, I can also swing to the new style. And they know I’m sincere.”
That sincerity and reverence to tradition have garnered Greenleaf respect and recognition. Back in August of last year, Greenleaf was honored with the Koko Taylor Queen of the Blues Award for outstanding contribution to preserving traditional blues at the 2024 Jus’ Blues Music Awards & Conference. The annual three-day conference was held at the IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi, Mississippi and featured workshops, industry panels, performances, and networking opportunities. According to the Atlanta-based foundation’s press release, the 2024 event was billed as the “Night of Living Legends,” and not only honored Greenleaf, but other well-known blues performers such as Mizz Lowe, Lil’ Jimmy Reed, guitarist Arthur Adams, Stephen Hull, and Clarksdale, Mississippi native Anthony ‘Big A’ Sherrod. About winning the “Koko Taylor” award, Greenleaf had this to say: “Oh, it was wonderful…wonderful to be recognized by people in your peer group and by your own people.”
In addition, winning an award named for her friend and mentor was also special. Greenleaf said that while she was happy that Jus’ Blues recognized her with the award, she insists that she does not try to sing like “The Queen of the Blues.” She says one key reason that Taylor, who passed away in 2009, was drawn to Greenleaf was that she recognized that Greenleaf wasn’t “trying to be her (Taylor),” or imitate her. In fact, Greenleaf adds, she doesn’t sing many of Taylor’s songs when she performs.
“But she (Koko Taylor) saw that I was an extension of her, just like she was an extension of some of the ladies that she (Taylor) had watched (and learned from) in her early years.”
The past and the present are equally important to Greenleaf. As she emphasized several times during her interviews, when it comes to blues music, you can’t have the current blues scene without acknowledging the past. So, it was only fitting that last year’s award was for Greenleaf’s outstanding contribution to preserving traditional blues, and that the award’s namesake was an important person in her life, along with so many others.
Growing up in her family’s home in Houston, Texas, Greenleaf had that proverbial front-row seat to those elder statesmen and stateswomen of blues, contemporary blues, soul, and gospel hitmakers, and those up-and-coming artists who are now household names. She admits, often times, that she was too young to realize who many of those people were back then. To a young Diunna, they were simply her parents friends, or her father’s students.
 Her father, Ben Greenleaf, was a member of the renowned Houston’s Spiritual Gospel Singers. Later on, the elder Greenleaf became a deacon and choir director for New Mt. Calvary Church. Greenleaf’s father was also a vocal coach, working with some of those up-and-comers like Johnnie Taylor and Sam Cooke. In several interviews, Greenleaf tells the story of years later meeting B.B. King, who told her he had taken vocal lessons from her father partly because he remembered listening to the elder Greenleaf sing when he played gospel records as a DJ at WDIA in Memphis, Tennessee. King would go on to become a mentor and friend to Diunna during her music career.
Greenleaf also talked about the connection between gospel music and the blues.
“I don’t know why people think that blues artists have no connection with a higher spirit. The same God we call on when we’re singing the Gospel(s), at least for me, is the same one I call on when I’m (singing) another thing. When you hear me (sing) Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, you know what I mean, I’m talking to the same Man, and you don’t know if I’m breaking out in gospel or blues. God created the artistry in us all, as far as I’m concerned, and I respect and let anybody interpret it the way they want to interpret it.”
According to Greenleaf, members of her band, Blue Mercy, which once included talented Houston guitarist Jonn Del Toro Richardson, must understand that gospel-blues connection. Greenleaf says that when her band adds a new member, “I make sure I teach them the traditional gospel that I do. And it actually makes them better blues players.”
While some gospel music traditionalists might frown upon singing other forms of music, Greenleaf’s parents never discouraged her from singing the blues, or any other genre.
“They wanted me to sing anything. They wanted me to sing. I’ve got a master’s (degree) in education and counseling, and they wanted me to continue my education and do that, too. (My parents) wanted me to understand that I could definitely do both. In other words, if one didn’t work out, I had the other to go back to.
“Daddy said, ‘Don’t you ever get down and think when things get bad (there’s no answer), because Black folks been goin’ through this since folks was Black.’ He said just turn around and look in your quill and you’ll find that God has given you several more arrows of things that you’re good at. So, fall back on that.”
Greenleaf reflected on that advice from her father.
“You know, a lot of people would think he had a strange way of talkin’ and puttin’ things, but as I got older they made more sense.”
Towards the end of her college days, Greenleaf enlisted in the Army and spent almost twenty years in the military—both active and in the reserves—and was honorably discharged a U.S. Army captain. She worked in the “corporate world” as she called it, and, eventually, started singing on the weekends. With her mother’s encouragement, Greenleaf began singing more-and-more frequently at paid gigs.
Fellow Houston native and Alligator Records recording artist Katie Webster was one of the first blues performers to strongly urge Greenleaf to pursue a full-time career singing the blues. In a 2018 Blues Blast Magazine interview, Greenleaf talked about Webster’s faith in Greenleaf’s abilities and, eventually, Webster’s on-going support of Greenleaf’s career.
Webster (who passed away in 1999) told her, “The gift of song and music is with your family and somebody needs to continue it.” Greenleaf wasn’t convinced that she could be a full-time performer. Webster, however, was persistent. “You have the ability. Your talent is far-reaching. You will be the family representative (for) this music and (for) those of us who build our lives around the music.”
 Houston and its tight-knit music community helped in launching Greenleaf’s career and she has always made it a point to give back to her hometown. Greenleaf was past president of the Houston Blues Society, which supports local blues musicians and develops that “next generation” of artists through its many programs, such as Blues in the Schools and The Blues Foundation’s affiliate sponsorship of artists who compete each January at the International Blues Challenge (IBC), held on historic Beale Street in Memphis. Recent Houston IBC winners include the Keeshea Pratt Band in 2018 and Mathias Lattin (and his band) in 2023.
Greenleaf and her band, Blue Mercy, won IBC in 2005, representing Houston in the Band Category. She takes pride in her work to help nurture that next generation of blues artists. Greenleaf also takes pride in pointing out the importance of Houston, Texas, both to blues music and for providing Black musical artists—both homegrown and from other parts of the U.S.—opportunities to perform and record their music.
She had a prominent role in the 2023 documentary When Houston Had the Blues, which, chronicled the vibrant, yet unheralded, Houston music scene. Featured in the documentary are segments about many of those blues “elders” and up-and-comers: Lightin’ Hopkins, Big Mama Thornton, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier, and many others.
In the documentary, Greenleaf talked about the local music scene and Houston’s women of the blues. “Houston has great music all around…but it’s never (been) given that kind of credit. Especially blues and blues ladies.”
During her recent Blues Blast interviews, Greenleaf talked about what it was like to not only be a female band leader, but a Black female band leader.
“When I first started out, there were some people here (in Texas) who tried to make me work without a contract. They would say, ‘Who does she think she is?’ That was number one. Number two is that they would say to me, ‘Honey, why don’t you relax, sit back and let me handle the business with the men in your band?’ He said it to me in front of my band.”
Later on, Greenleaf received some sage advice from an old family friend…and fellow blues artist.
“I don’t ever want you to forget that you are payin’ the cost to be the boss” Greenleaf said B.B. King told her over lunch one day. King went on to explain to Greenleaf that those around her had to “understand that you’re in charge of this operation” and they—band members and promoters—had to respect that fact. In other words, they had to change their attitude about dealing with a female decision-maker.
Greenleaf has always been fiercely independent and passionate about her work. While that has served her well in her career, “not playing the game” has been, at times, almost too much to bear. In addition, Greenleaf has faced several personal challenges, which added to the strain.
During the first couple of years of COVID, Greenleaf did not work and considered retiring altogether from music. She helped to care for her second-oldest sister, who was diagnosed with cancer. “I wanted to make sure I was available for her and her doctors. Whatever she needed.”
Greenleaf tearfully recalled that her ailing sister didn’t want her to “turn down” any performance opportunities. In fact, her sister told Greenleaf to “go out and sing a song for me.”
Right after he sister’s death, Greenleaf performed at the 2022 King Biscuit Blues Festival, held over four days in Helena, Arkansas. She said she received a lot of love and support from her fellow blues musicians and friends, including Anson Funderburgh and Bob Margolin, who hung out near the stage while Greenleaf performed. That support also came from the 2022 Biscuit headliner, Mavis Staples, who knew Greenleaf’s parents.
 In May of that same year, Greenleaf released a new album, I Ain’t Playin’ on the Little Village Records label. Greenleaf had been persuaded to get back into the studio by blues DJ Noel Hayes and by Little Village founder Jim Pugh. The highly regarded record was produced by veteran blues guitarist Christoffer “Kid” Andersen at his Greaseland Studios in San Jose, California.
According to Little Village’s press release, Greenleaf’s singing ‘captured a mature and self-assured blues voice that is a rarity in today’s world’.
The release went on to state that “Andersen’s ears perked up as he realized the character behind (Greenleaf’s) voice and saw a great opportunity to bring a gospel-born blues voice into the current blues scene’.
“Her voice tells you she is free to be herself,” Andersen said in the press release. “You just don’t find many voices like that. I think that’s something people will discover just listening to her album for the first time.”
I Ain’t Playin’ included several covers of well-known songs, but Greenleaf mostly discussed her original tune “Running Like the Red Cross,” and the history behind it.
“I watched a documentary that showed Queen Elizabeth when she was Princess Elizabeth, along with her sister, Princess Margaret, (who as teenagers) contributed to the war relief effort. They didn’t want to leave England to avoid the conflict. (When she turned eighteen,) Elizabeth became an ambulance driver. In addition to driving an ambulance, she maintained the vehicle(s)—changing the oil, topping off the fluids, and rotating the tires.
“You could see her loyalty and dedication, even at that young age. She was of the conviction that everyone should work to defend England (from Nazi Germany), to ensure not only its survival, but (for England) to continue to thrive. Quite profound coming from a young (woman).”
According to Greenleaf, during the documentary, Princess Elizabeth said, “No matter what age we are, as long as we can speak, walk, and talk, we can all do something because we truly are in this together. We send our love and prayers to all of our allies and hope that they have the same feeling that we have.”
Elizabeth’s actions and words “gave the (British) people confidence when they could see their Royals participating in the war effort.”
Greenleaf added how she came up with the song’s title. “The documentary implied that they could not stop Princess Elizabeth when she took on a (potentially) dangerous assignment. She ran across the motor pool floor (while air raid sirens blared). I said to myself as I watched the film, ‘Wow, look at the future Queen of England running like the Red Cross!’”
As it turns out, Queen Elizabeth was a staunch supporter of the British Red Cross during her seventy-year reign. Much like today’s Red Cross and its mission of help and hope, Greenleaf’s lyrics on “Running Like the Red Cross” also send a message of help and support. Regarding the World War 2 documentary, Greenleaf quoted the now deceased monarch’s own words.
“Sometimes the best courage comes out of the strongest fear.”
Many of Greenleaf’s closest friends and colleagues would say that she is a determined and courageous woman.
She tells the bittersweet story of losing her oldest sister in the midst of great professional triumph. Following her 2005 International Blues Challenge win, Greenleaf’s sister passed away. Not long after, Greenleaf and Blue Mercy were scheduled to perform at the 2005 W.C. Handy Awards (now known as the Blues Music Awards) in Memphis. Greenleaf was not sure how she felt about performing so soon after the loss of her sister. As she tells the story, none other than Koko Taylor—her friend and mentor—stopped by to give her a pep talk. Taylor, who was nominated for and would go on to win another Handy Award that night, convinced Greenleaf that she needed to perform.
 Which she did.
It’s only fitting that twenty years later, Greenleaf has been nominated for a “Traditional Blues Female Artist” award, now known as the “Koko Taylor” award. The 46th Annual Blues Music Awards, hosted by the Memphis-based Blues Foundation, will take place on May 8th in Memphis. Greenleaf has been nominated numerous times for a Blues Music Award (BMA) and has previously won a BMA three times: in 2008, in 2014, and, most recently, in 2017.
Presently, Greenleaf is working on “putting some things on the books,” as she called it, regarding tour dates both in the U.S. and in Europe. She’s looking forward to getting back out on the road with Blue Mercy.
Greenleaf says she also wants to continue to spread the word that there is still room in the current blues world for “traditional blues,” even if some within the industry push other variations of blues music. “Some (people) only want to promote rock blues or a more jazzy blues. Some (promoters) don’t even give love to soul blues anymore.”
In Greenleaf’s opinion, blues is multi-faceted and flexible and can appeal to many audiences and attract new fans. “We’re not a one-trick pony. Blues has a strong, strong history…and what some people call country blues (is where it all began). And people forget that we have (these traditions), so it’s important that we maintain (traditional blues).
“When you hear blues, you can hear some gospel. When you hear blues, you can hear some jazz. When you hear blues, you can hear some rock. When you hear blues, you can hear some country. You understand what I’m saying?”
Greenleaf went on to say that she is “determined” that people in the industry (and blues fans) recognize the importance of traditional blues music. Part of that recognition, she says, is appreciating “the real history that brought about this art form.” She added, “and (blues music) is an art form” recognized and appreciated around the world.
Late in the documentary, When Houston Had the Blues, Greenleaf discussed how important blues traditions, along with a sense of time and place, are to the future of blues music.
“Now, as far as keeping the blues alive, anytime you hear any other type of American music, it has some basis in the blues. So, in that vein, blues is kept alive. But it needs to also be heard on the traditional level, it needs to be respected from what it came out of. You understand that the people who were creating this wonderful music were just a few years out of slavery.”
Important words from a woman who has personally been through so much and, professionally, given so much of herself to the music she loves.
To paraphrase that former British monarch, Diunna Greenleaf has shown the best courage through her determination and her faith to overcome professional doubts and personal adversity.
Keep up with Diunna and her music by visiting her FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/diunna.greenleaf/.
Writer Ken Billett is a freelance writer based in Memphis. He is a Blues Foundation member and former docent/tour guide at the Blues Hall of Fame. Originally from Tampa, Florida, Ken writes about travel, music, and the Mississippi Delta.
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