Rory Block

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,

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

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