Bette Smith Delivers Powerful Rock and Soul Show in Central Ohio

Bette Smith of Brooklyn NY has been compared to the likes of Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner due to her powerhouse rock and soul vocals.

She has garnered a lot of praise in the press ever since her 2017 album Jetlagger  was released and rose to #1 on the Roots Music Report. This was followed by the incredible The Good, The Bad and The Bette in 2020. This album continues Bette’s rise as a force in the rock/soul/roots music genres and she is quickly gaining an international following.

During her current “Bustin’ Out Of Brooklyn Tour ’21,” Bette and her backing band have opened a few shows for Kenny Wayne Shepard and also for the Drive-By Truckers. On this tour, she’s also performed at the Bayfront Blues Festival and is set to hit Telleride Blues and Brew Festival on September 18th.

Her stop last night at Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza and Live Music in Worthington, Ohio was one of her solo shows in an intimate setting that really wowed the audience. Opening with “Shackle & Chain,” Bette took the crowd on an emotional journey – getting down with “Durty Hustlin,” and “Manchild,” the gritty and raw “Pine Belt Blues,” the infectious joy of “I Felt It Too” and the heartbreak of “Whistle Stop” which she dedicated to her late Mother.

Bette closed out this amazing show with bluesy “I’m a Sinner” and was brought back by the audience for an absolutely fantastic encore of the Etta James classic “Tell Mama.”

Photos by O’Rock Photos.