The music of Lil Red and Big Bad is unique to New
Orleans, a mix of Blues, R&B and Rock & Roll delivered with
a lot of soul. When you add the vocal energy and stage performance
of Nancy “Lil Red” Gros, it’s no mistake that this
band became the winners of the 2010 New Orleans Voodoo Blues Krewe
Challenge in, October 2010.
Growing up in New Orleans, Lil’ Red came from a musical family,
and with her older siblings, attended her first Jazz Fest in 1976
and immediately became smitten by the stage. As a young child, the
radio was her toy. She spent hours listening to pop music inspired
by all the great New Orleans artists like Irma Thomas, Professor
Longhair, the Meters, Fats Domino, Dr. John, Ernie K-Doe, all the
time dreaming of becoming a singer and fronting a band. It was not
until 2001, after years of working at the Delta Queen Steamboat
Company, and raising her two young children, did she begin to fulfill
her dream. After crafting her talent, she then formed Lil’
Red and Big Bad in 2005. Because of her unique and energetic sound,
the band quickly developed a following, as they performed from the
Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain, to the West Bank of New Orleans.
Today Lil’ Red is backed by some of the best musicians in
New Orleans, namely, Jeff “Big Daddy” Ruello on guitar,
Dr. Jack Carter on bass, and Ian Petillo on drums. Others working
with Lil’ Red include Joshua Brown, Greg Villafranco, Kennan
Shaw, Willie Panker, Richard Leveille, Tom Fitzpatrick, Mike Kobrin,
Ian Smith, Jimmy Carpenter, Tom Worrell, and Allyn Robinson, who
as well, continue to work with many of the musical greats our time.
On October 8, 2010, Lil’ Red and Big Bad won the Voodoo Blues
Krewe, New Orleans Blues Society Band Challenge at the legendary
Mid-City Rock’n Bowl, sending them to the world renowned Beale
Street in Memphis, to represent New Orleans in the annual International
Blues Challenge in February 2011.
Lil’ Red performs every Monday night at the Balcony Music
Club (BMC) in the French Quarter, toured Colorado, and opened the
2012 French Quarter Festival on the main stage. Other recent performances
include the Bogalusa Blues Festival, New Orleans Blues & BBQ
Fest, Voice of the Wetlands Fest, Wednesdays at the Point, the Louisiana
State Fair, and Frenchmen Street.
“It’s never too late to fulfill your dreams”,
says Red “and there’s nothing like singin the blues…
