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Pinkie Rideau - Personal Biography Page
Born in 1964 at Mary's Help Hospital in San Francisco - Pinkie was the last of five children for Joe & Adele Rideau. A cajun girl of French, American Indian and Black descent, Pinkie had arrived. Adele had a beautiful operatic voice and Joe had a passion for country & zydeco music. Pinkie's brothers and sister - 15, 16, 17,and 8 years her senior, all listened to modern rock. Growing up on Madame Butterfly, Hank Williams and The Rolling Stones gave Pinkie a great start in the diversity of music. Her middle brother had a band and her mother was not proud of the fact that her 2 year old could recite Rolling Stones lyrics. There was something horrific to an operatic woman about her little girl singing, "I can't get no girlie action." Pinkie was a sickly and ill child who had quite a few tutors throughout elementary and high school. Her first battle with cancer was skin cancer at 9 years old. She can remember watching children playing on the grounds of Jefferson High School, Daly City as she was constantly recovering from something that kept her down. Her father retired when she was in the 7th grade and moved the family to Browns Valley, Ca. Pinkie was the only child still living at home. Her mother rallied for her to go to high school and won the quest. In preparation for Marysville High School -summer school was on the menu, where she was raped. She never told her parents. Pinkie was a high school student at 13. High school brought school choir, drama club and another physical attack on her person at 15 years old. In her Junior year she missed so much school from illnesses that she required a home tutor for 4 months. Wracked by illness and sickness at the age of 18 doctors told her that she had an incurable blood disorder that would take her life before age 30. The bucket list ensued. She has driven destruction derby, studied Taekwondo, Karate, kick boxing, boxing, been a disc jockey, a body builder, a power lifter, horse trainer, hunter, fisherman, marksman, carpenter, auto mechanic, saleman, photographer, actor, singer, graphic designer, recording engineer, booking agent, promoter, marketing advisor, wedding planner, stage manager, massage therapist, chiropractic assistant, x-ray tecnician, cook, college student, waitress and most important of all - mother of two and grandmother of one. The long list of high risk occupations didn't go unconsequential. Broken bones from head to toe only add to the list of hospitalizations in addition to the multi-cancer hospital stays. In 1999 she was tested for the blood disorder and found to be in remission. The expiration date was lifted. Once her children were grown and gone, it was time to live her dream. Music, and being in a band was put on the back burner for 22 years - it was her time. She was watching tv one day and saw a Fancy Feast cat food commercial in which Etta James was singing "At Last". At that moment she was hooked on Blues. Her mother had passed away from brain tumors in 2004. Pinkie started growing her hair out to donate to Locks of Love in memory of her mother that very year. In February of 2005, after months of researching musicians, Pinkie started a band. Morning Wood Blues was to be the stepping stone band to lead to bigger and better things in the Sacramento area. Plus, a divorce. In 2006 she opened for Los Lonely Boys at Sleeptrain Pavillion in Concord. At the concert, listening to Los Lonely Boys, she could hear the audience singing their songs. She turned to her lead guitarist, Rich West, and said, "That's what I want: to hear thousands of people sing my lyrics!" 2008 brought the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in February, it was phenominal! If you could smell Blues, it would smell like Memphis. Beale Street was glowing for 5 days with the sounds, sights and smells of blues. Plus, a divorce. The death of her father to pelvic cancer in May of 2008 was devestating to her and then, to top off the year - brain surgery in December for a benign mass. 2009 Blues Festival Guide Finalist in The Blues Artist on the Rise Contest. 2010 Women In Blues Talent Showcase Winner and 2010 Blues Modesto Area Music Assocation Award Nominee. Now cancer free for 5 years in 2011, she sings of living and loving life. Don't you tell her she hasn't earned her place on the stage to sing the blues. She'll just smile and say, "Bet me!" At times, following a gig she will say, "I'm Pinkie Rideau and I'm a multi-cancer survivor! I'm living my dream - you go live your dream!" She revels in the little wins and sets the smaller goals. "One small goal is one step closer, one little win is a big deal." Who knows what the future brings for Pinkie and Blind Resistance? One thing is for sure "It's Always Somethin'". |