Aurora "Rory" Block (born November 6, 1949) is an American blues guitarist and singer, a notable exponent of the country blues style.
Career Aurora Block was born in Princeton, New Jersey, and grew up in Manhattan. Her father, Allan Block, ran a sandal shop in Greenwich Village in the 1960s frequented by folk musicians, and the neighborhood folk music scene, such as Peter Rowan, Maria Muldaur, and John Sebastian, influenced Block to study classical guitar. At the age of 14, she met the guitarist Stefan Grossman, who introduced her to the music of Mississippi Delta blues guitarists.
Block began listening to old albums, transcribing them, and learning to play the songs. At age 15, she left home to seek out the remaining blues giants, such as Mississippi John Hurt, Reverend Gary Davis, and Son House, and hone her craft in the traditional manner of blues musicians; then she traveled to Berkeley, California, where she played in clubs and coffeehouses.
After retiring temporarily to raise a family, Block returned to the music industry in the 1970s with middling success until signing with Rounder Records in 1981, who encouraged her to return to her love for the classical blues form. Since then she has carved out her own niche, releasing numerous critically acclaimed albums of original and traditional songs, including many Robert Johnson covers, such as "Terraplane Blues" and "Come on in My Kitchen". Her 1986 album, I've Got a Rock in My Sock, included contributions from Taj Mahal and David Bromberg. The same year, Block's 19 year old son, Thiele, died in an automobile accident. Her tribute to him, House of Hearts, contained mostly Block penned tracks.
Angel of Mercy, Turning Point, and Tornado included mostly original compositions. However, Mama's Blues, Ain't I a Woman and When a Woman Gets the Blues featured songs written by Tommy Johnson, Robert Johnson, Lottie Beaman, and Mattie Delaney.
In 2010, Block released her autobiography in .pdf format and a limited print run titled When a Woman Gets the Blues.
Awards Rory Block has won seven Blues Music Awards, two for "Traditional Blues Female Artist" (1997, 1998), three for "Acoustic Blues Album of the Year" (1996, 1999, 2007), the 2019 "Acoustic Artist of the Year" and the prestigious Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Female Blues Artist in 2021. She also won 3 NAIRD awards for "Best Adult Contemporary Album of the Year" in 1992 for Ain't I A Woman, in 1994 for Angel of Mercy, and again in 1997 for Tornado. Rory also won the "Trophees France Blues 98" for "International Acoustic Guitarist of the Year". She was inducted in to The New York Blues Hall of Fame in 2016.
Discography Year Title Label Number Notes1967 How to Play Blues GuitarElektraEKL 324, EKS 7324Credited as "Sunshine Kate", with Stefan Grossman, reissued in 1971 as Kicking Mule 1091975 Rory BlockRCA VictorAPL1-07331976 I'm in LoveBlue GooseBG-20221977 Intoxication, So Bitter SweetChrysalis11571979 You're the OneChrysalis12331981High Heeled BluesRounder3061Recorded at Bearsville Sound Studios, produced by John Sebastian1983Blue HorizonRounder30731984Rhinestones & Steel StringsRounder30851986I've Got a Rock in My Sock!Rounder30971987Best Blues and OriginalsRounder11525 Compilation, drawn from the four Rounder Records albums 1981–19861987House of HeartsRounder31041989Turning PointMunich1451990Color Me WildAlcazar1003Children's album1991Mama's BluesRounder31171992Ain't I a WomanRounder31201992 Adult Contemporary Album of the Year1994Angel of MercyRounder31261994 Adult Contemporary Album of the Year1994Women in (E)motion FestivalTradition & Moderne107Recorded live, Bremen, Germany, 19881995When a Woman Gets the BluesRounder31391996 Acoustic Blues Album of the Year1989Turning PointMunich1451996TornadoRounder31401997 Adult Contemporary Album of the Year1997Gone Woman Blues: The Country Blues CollectionRounder11575Compilation, drawn from the five Rounder Records albums 1992–19961997The Early Tapes 1975–1976Alcazar111re-release of I'm In Love1998Confessions Of A Blues SingerRounder31541999 Acoustic Blues Album of the Year2002I'm Every WomanRounder31742003Last Fair DealTelarcCD 835932004Sisters & BrothersTelarcCD 83588With Eric Bibb and Maria Muldaur2005From the DustTelarcCD 836142006The Lady and Mr. JohnsonRykodiscRCD 108722007 Acoustic Blues Album of the Year, a tribute to Robert Johnson2008Country Blues Guitar: Rare Archival Recordings 1963–1971Stefan Grossman's Guitar WorkshopSGGW 103With Stefan Grossman, reissue of How to Play Blues Guitar plus 16 additional tracks2008Blues Walkin' Like a Man: A Tribute to Son HouseStony PlainSPCD 1329First release in the Mentor Series.2011Shake 'Em on Down: A Tribute to Mississippi Fred McDowellStony PlainSPCD 1344Second release in the Mentor Series.2012I Belong to the Band: A Tribute to Rev. Gary DavisStony PlainSPCD 1359Third release in the Mentor Series.2013Avalon: A Tribute to Mississippi John HurtStony PlainSPCD 1369Fourth release in the Mentor Series.2014 Hard Luck Child: A Tribute to Skip JamesStony PlainSPCD 1373Fifth release in the Mentor Series.2016 Keepin' Outta Trouble: A Tribute to Bukka WhiteStony PlainSPCD 1393Sixth release in the Mentor Series.2018 A Woman’s Soul: A Tribute to Bessie SmithStony PlainSPCD 1399Power Women Of The Blues series – Vol. 12020Prove It On Me: A Tribute to Groundbreaking Women of the BluesStony PlainSPCD 1409Power Women Of The Blues series – Vol. 22022Ain't Nobody Worried: Celebrating Great Women Of SongStony PlainSPCD 1468Power Women Of The Blues series – Vol. 32024Positively 4th Street: A Tribute to Bob DylanStony PlainSPCD 14932025Heavy On the BluesM.C. RecordsMC-0095
Festival appearances Pinkpop Festival, Netherlands - 1989 Belgium Rhythm 'n' Blues Festival - 1989 Long Beach Blues Festival - 1993 San Francisco Blues Festival - 1999 Notodden Blues Festival - 2006 Kemptville Live Music Festival - 2017 New Orleans Jazz Festival - 2022
Further reading Block, Rory When A Woman Gets The Blues (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 14 April 2011, )
References
External links Telarc (record label) biography Illustrated 1964–1987 Rory Block discography (early recordings not shown on official website) Illustrated Allan Block discography (Aurora's father) Representative's artist page Stony Plain Records artist page