Album Marks 35 Years at the Core of the Roots/Americana Music Scenes for Powerful Singer
Just Stay Live Includes Songs Made Famous by Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Gregg Allman & Son House
One of the great vocalists in the roots music and Americana scenes with a voice frequently compared to Mavis Staples, Alexis P Suter and her band, were joined by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, The Band’s Garth Hudson on piano and accordion for a special 2011 concert not far from Woodstock, NY, recorded in surround sound and heard in ATMOS. Both artists have deep roots there: Suter has performed at over 100 of Levon Helm’s Midnight Rambles while Hudson, of course, moved there in 1967 and made some of the most legendary rock & roll of all time with The Band and with Bob Dylan on The Basement Tapes. Suter’s ninth album, Just Stay Live: Recorded Live at the Falcon by The Alexis P Suter Band featuring Garth Hudson will be released March 17 on NOLA Blue Records. Suter delivers a fresh take on Bob Dylan’s “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.”
Here’s what we’re reading:
“Brings together two singular talents: Suter’s towering, gospel-rooted voice and the late Garth Hudson of The Band.”
–James Sissler, Live For Live Music, February 25, 2026
“Powerful Brooklyn-born vocalist… a remarkable night of music… The magic of that night was impossible to ignore… The music itself reflects the band’s deep connection to American roots traditions… The album captures more than a performance; it captures a moment when tradition, community, and musical history collided in one room. A gospel-rooted singer from Brooklyn, a legendary member of The Band, and a tight-knit band that has spent decades playing together created something timeless… It’s the sound of a band locked in, a legend sitting in, and a moment in music that simply refused to stay in the past.”
–Thomas Beck, Jam & Toast, March 15, 2026, full feature
“The recording offers a window into a moment when history, chemistry, and live improvisation converged. Released a year after Hudson’s passing, the Dolby Atmos mix honors his legacy and the communal power of live music.”
–Lauren Leadingham, American Blues Scene, January 26, 2026
“Powerful… a transcendent performance… unforgettable evening.”
–Grateful Web, March 17, 2026
“You owe it to yourself to see her live. Raised as a gospel singer in Brooklyn, NY, the band’s repertoire is a stirring blend of blues, soul, rock, and gospel, as this program attests… It should deservedly draw more attention to Suter, one of the most unique and earth-shaking vocalists, who continues to thrive today.”
–Jim Hynes, Rock & Blues Muse, March 12, 2026
“A great live show.”
–Tony Burke, Tales from the Woods (UK), February, 2026
“Capture[s] a beloved musical atmosphere, with tradition & spirit… The presence of Garth on piano & accordion is noticeable. If this is one of his last contributions, it’s a doozy… Alexis & her booming pipes are nuclear powered in a Koko Taylor/Big Mama Thornton tradition. But her savvy entertainment quotient is higher… Don’t settle for beer when you can get whiskey. This is music with spirits.”
–John Apice, Americana Highways, March 17, 2026
“For 30 years Suter’s roaring vocals and endearing vibes have entranced listeners… Suter’s vocal acumen is unsurpassed and reminiscent of both Big Mama Thornton and Mavis Staples while remaining uniquely her own and ranging from gritty sensuality to a husky bellow. Big blues, gospel, and R & B cuts abound with several segments of jamming that illustrate the innate flexibility of her band. The group blends a touch of the blues, a dab of the church, and a dollop of New Orleans into their heady amalgam… The live recording, presented in both surround sound and ATMOS, immortalizes a joyful evening of shared song… Poignant.”
–Stephen T. Lewis, Talk from the Rock Room, March 14, 2026
The album kicks off with a version of gospel/blues “John The Revelator” steam-train followed by Hudson’s introduction and one of his epic solo piano improvisations that ties together American music of different strains into something of great beauty. Other album highlights includes Gregg Allman’s “It’s Not My Cross To Bear,” a track she never recorded elsewhere, that finds Suter gut-wrenchingly shouting. “Only I” delivers classic soul music. The uplifting “Turn On Your Love Light,” from the repertoire of Bobby Blue Bland, is given a New Orleans rhythm.
Throughout, Hudson adds hooks, ideas and melodies, showing why he is one of the all-time greats. He especially digs in on an expressive, at times anxious piano part on “Hole That I’m In.”
Suter’s astute, grooving band knows their roots, from Louisiana polyrhythms to blues swing. The harmonies rise behind her. Joining Suter and the band for “Rise,” “Only I,” and “Turn On Your Love Light” is Conor Kennedy (Steely Dan, Chuck Prophet, Amos Lee).
In between and during songs, Suter preaches movingly about the power of love.
Suter, who splits her time between her native Brooklyn and the Hudson Valley, has also opened for B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Dickey Betts, Etta James, Allen Toussaint, Emmylou Harris, and Helm at NYC’s legendary Beacon Theatre and Central Park Summerstage. King was moved to state “It’s a rare thing to share the stage with great talent like that young lady.”
Suter has been nominated for three Blues Music Awards. After hearing Ruth Brown on the radio as a young child, Suter got her start singing in church.
Alexis P Suter Band Tour Dates
April 3 – Milford, CT – The Milford Arts Council
April 25 – Chester, NY – Meadow Blues
May 9 – Marlboro, NY – The Falcon
May 23 – Tuckerton, NJ – Lizzie Rose Music Room
July 23 – Ridgefield, CT – Ballard Park
Just Stay Live Track Listing
1. John the Revelator (Blind Willie Johnson)
2. Garth’s Piano Solo (Garth Hudson)
3. Right on Time (V. Bell, J. Bennett)
4. It’s Not My Cross to Bear (Gregg Allman)
5. Whistling in the Dark (V. Bell, J. Bennett)
6. Knocking on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan)
7. Hole That I’m In (V. Bell, A Suter, R. Grappone)
8. Rise (R. Grappone, A. Suter, V. Bell)
9. Only I (V. Bell)
10. Turn On Your Love Light (Joseph Wade Scott, Don Robey)
11. Isn’t It a Pity (George Harrison)
Just Stay Live Credits
Garth Hudson – Piano, Accordion
Alexis P Suter – Lead Vocals
Jimmy Bennett – Guitar
Ray Grappone – Drums
Peter Bennett – Bass
Vicki Bell – Vocals
Linda Pino – Vocals
Benny Harrison – Keyboard
Connor Kennedy – Additional Guitar – Tracks 8, 9, 10
Produced by Vicki Bell, Peter Bennett and The Alexis P Suter Band
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by Alan Douches, West West Side Music
Recorded in surround sound live at The Falcon in Marlboro, NY
