Petrella, First Lady of Country Soul Biography

Petrella First Lady of Country Soul Bio

Petrella Ann Bonner (born in Hot Springs, AR), also known as “Petrella, First Lady of Country Soul” is an American country music artist. Petrella’s accomplishments are on display at the Mosaic Templars Museum in Little Rock, AR, have been donated to the Arkansas History Commission and are on file at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville, TN, and have been documented by the University of Indiana African American Archive of Music and Culture and by the History Makers (Chicago, IL). Petrella is listed in Essence Magazine as one of the “18 Black Country Singers You Need to Know” and is ranked as one of “The Greatest Black Country Singers”

In 1988 as a member of the Los Angeles Songwriters Showcase, Petrella received her first record contract from pitching a demo to Jack Gale of Playback Records an independent record label in Nashville, TN. She signed a contract in 1989 with Ridgewood Records (a division of Playback Records) for a 2-sided single. The song "This Isn't Goodbye" charted on the Up and Coming Chart at Number 14 and "Blues Stay Away From Me", charted on Cashbox Top 100 Country Singles at number 86. This chart action led Jack Gale to form a “Country-Soul Division under Playback Records with the first album release featuring Petrella distributed nationally by Laurie Records. A video of “Blues Stay Away from Me” recorded in California was also released and played nationally. In March 13, 1993 the music Trade Magazine Cashbox featured her on the cover and the cover story. Her single "I Found Somebody" placed her as the #1 Indie at #53 on Cash Box Top 100 Country Singles. In 1994, two other singles, "Go For It" and "Remedy" reached the country charts top 100 and Nashville Tracker magazine nominated Petrella as New Female Vocalist of the Year and her Album was nominated as “Album of the Year”. Petrella’s relationship with Jack Gale spanned almost 30 years until his death in 2018 and included 3 CDs, (“Petrella”, “100 Proof Woman” and “Shine on Me”).

In 2008 she signed a distribution deal with Warner Brothers Records through TMG  resulted in her single "I Want To Know You Forever" from her 2008 CD "100 Proof Woman" charting on the Billboard Hot Single Sales at number 15. ^]

In the year 2012 she recorded her 25th Anniversary Album “Shine on Me” with legendary DJ Jack Gale as her producer and filmed a video of her single “Working in the USA” with video producer K.C. Amos (son of John Amos of Television show “Good Times”). Her video can be viewed on Vevo , Youtube  and Daily Motion.

The years 2012 through 2018 Petrella concentrated on putting together her band (Mixed Influence) and playing at venues throughout Southern California and Central Coast California. The highlight from this time period was openeing for The Spinners on Feb 23, 2018 at The Rose Music Venue in Pasadena, CA. In her career Petrella has opened for Gladys Knight, Tracy Lawrence, A.J. Croce (Son of Jim Croce), Billy Vera and the Beater’s and the Delfonics.

Petrella has released 7 studio albums, 5 country albums, one gospel album and one Christmas album.