C-Boy’s Heart and Soul has the heart of a dive bar and the soul of a chitlin’ circuit club. The small stage is backed by a shiny gold curtain.

Miss Lavelle White is 86 years old, has been performing since she was 15yo, and recorded her first album in 1994.

She is a class act. I noticed her almost as soon as we walked into the small club. She was sitting in a booth, drinking coffee and red wine, and sitting with what looked like some of her family. She was wearing this lovely helmet of a wig and a beautiful blue dress.

The band played some songs and then a younger relative helped Miss Lavelle to the stage. Once on stage, her voice was clear and strong. She is a blues singer and her interpretations of “Living for the City” and “Into the Mystic” would make you think she wrote those songs herself. People were dancing and she was telling them to shake their hips.

We stayed for two sets. I’m not sure how many more she sang (it seemed the breaks and the band playing alone were longer than her time onstage) but anytime with Miss Lavelle is a very special time indeed.

By Carene Lydia Lopez