In the 90s she made appearances at the Chicago Blues Festival, where she reached a wider audience with performances that showcased her roots in blues, deep soul, and gospel with equal fervor and aplomb. Rodgers-Williams relocated to Chicago a few years later, quickly establishing herself as a club mainstay. The next day, photos of the unknown young singer and the astounded-looking superstar were all over Memphis media, and soon she was working regular gigs around town. She grabbed the mike and tore into a version of LaBelle’s classic “Lady Marmalade” that wrecked the house and left Patti wide-eyed in amazement. When Patti decided to spice things up by asking if anyone in the audience wanted to sing, a friend literally picked up Rodgers-Williams and thrust her onto the stage.

Her backstory is almost as impressive as her singing: In 1988, when she was still an aspiring artist in her native Memphis, she attended a Patti LaBelle show. Feelgood,” retaining the power and feel of the originals while making them her own. She’s deft and audacious enough to take on warhorses such as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and Aretha Franklin’s “Dr.

Melvia “Chick” Rodgers-Williams is a dynamic, versatile blues and soul vocalist with a pretty sparse recorded legacy (mostly under her maiden name, Melvia “Chick” Rodgers). Best of Chicago 2022: Sports & Recreation.

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