Remembering Ottilie Patterson: The First Lady of British Blues.
Ottilie Patterson, a British jazz and blues singer, has been hailed as the greatest blues vocalist Britain has ever produced by the late George Melly. She was the first lady of British jazz and paved the way for the Rolling Stones. Despite her remarkable talent, she has been almost entirely forgotten. However, a new BBC documentary and a Record Store Day reissue of her 1969 album 3000 Years With Ottilie are set to give her the recognition she deserves. Patterson's life was marked by mental health issues and a troubled marriage to Chris Barber, who forced her to have an illegal abortion.