FOLSOM—When Chrissie O’Dell steps to the microphone, there’s no mistaking it—this is the blues as it’s meant to be felt: raw, emotional, and electrifying. The New York-born powerhouse vocalist returns to Powerhouse Pub this Sunday, November 9, at 3 p.m., headlining the “Powerhouse of Blues” showcase with her acclaimed band, The Real Deal.
In just two short years since relocating from New York to Sacramento, O’Dell has become one of the capital region’s most talked-about voices. Audiences have been captivated by her signature blend of grit and grace—a smoky, soulful delivery that channels legends like Etta James and Koko Taylor while remaining unmistakably her own. It’s that authenticity, that unfiltered emotion, that makes every performance feel like a moment in time.
O’Dell’s path to the stage was anything but ordinary. Raised in a musical household—her mother a drummer—she spent much of her life around musicians but didn’t begin singing until her late twenties. “I didn’t know I could sing,” she once admitted, though it’s hard to imagine now. What began as a late discovery quickly became a calling. Her independent album If I Had a Dime landed on all three major national blues charts, staying there for 12 straight weeks. Soon after, she was named one of only four fan-voted winners in Blues Revue Magazine’s “Sponsor the Band” contest, sharing honors with Albert Castiglia, Chris O’Leary, and the legendary Charlie Musselwhite.
When O’Dell arrived on the West Coast, it didn’t take long for her to find her musical family. Her group, The Real Deal, is a five-piece ensemble of Sacramento Blues Society Hall of Fame musicians who bring decades of experience and instinct to the stage. Together with harpman Dave Croall, drummer Pat “Ratatat” Balcom, bassist Greg Roberts, and guitarist Dave “Sunshine” Segal, O’Dell delivers a set that’s both technically tight and emotionally unrestrained—a rare combination that resonates deep in the soul.
Every song, whether a slow-burning ballad or an uptempo roadhouse jam, carries a piece of her story. O’Dell’s voice—both tender and fierce—moves from a whisper to a wail, pulling the audience along with her every note. The chemistry between her and The Real Deal gives their live shows the kind of energy that feels spontaneous, alive, and undeniably genuine.
For blues lovers, Sunday afternoon at Powerhouse will be more than a concert—it’ll be a homecoming of soul that begins at 3 pm. All shows at Powerhouse are 21 and over. For tickets and full event details, visit www.powerhousepub.com.
