San Francisco native, vocalist Loretta Gooden began her life in music as the daughter of Oddie Lee Criner, the legendary Gospel educator, pianist and vocalist.

Along with her mother and sisters, Ms. Gooden toured the country for over twenty years as part of the her family gospel group, The Legendary Angelettes of San Francisco.

Ms. Gooden spent the first decades of her life performing gospel music, sharing the stage with such legends as Shirley Ceasar, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and Dorothy Norwood.

Ms. Gooden began to pursue her love of rhythm and blues, eventually moving to Sun Valley Idaho to become a member of the Bruce Willis house band The Accelerators, for the next four years, Ms. Gooden began performing throughout the American Midwest, upon her return to San Francisco, Ms. Gooden became a vocalist with the Jerry Garcia Band.

Returning to her musical roots, Ms. Gooden is currently exploring the classic repertoire from the golden era of jazz vocals.

Comfortable in varied musical settings from solo piano accompaniment, to duos and trios, Ms. Gooden is currently enjoying working along side the Bay Area’s finest jazz instrumentalists, performing live with her quartet, and her Hammond B3 quintet.

Ms. Gooden brings her experience from the world of Gospel music, as well as her natural gift for singing the blues to her selections from the Tin Pan Alley tradition, and the Great American Songbook.

Ms. Gooden still loves to sing the blues.