Old Black Water

The Big Muddy Blues Festival is back and bigger than ever, while B-Sides finds out that Michael Bolton isn't an assclown and spotlights photography superstar Tammy Leahy,

A A A Comments (0) By Jean Carey and Dean C. Minderman and Andrea Noble Wednesday, Aug 30 2006

One of the things that comes with mainstream success is that people are going to love what you do. But there are also a lot of people who take shots at what you do, people who just don't get what it is you do. Here, you've written with Dylan. You've written rock & roll, country and rap. You've sung with Ray Charles, Pavarotti. You kind of have to be so grateful about the long list of victories and for the mountains you've climbed that you have to look down from.

Before you get famous, you don't take heat from anybody. Your rent checks are bouncing. You're a starving artist in a blues band. When I started recording pop ballads, I learned to take the knocks.

Jennifer Silverberg

Tamara Â“TammyÂ” Leahy

More About

This happens in every great career. They use you to set up a joke in a film. But did I mention that I recorded with Ray Charles and wrote with Bob Dylan? I mean, seriously, I'm pretty cool. — Jean Carey

St. Louis Scene Trading Cards

Name: Tamara "Tammy" Leahy
Birthdate: July 20, 1980
High School: Parkway South High School
Can Be Found: Shooting live-action and promotional photos for local and national bands.
Career Highlight: Tammy appreciates the intimacy of small venues around town, so when she photographed the now-infamous Dresden Dolls at Frederick's Music Lounge, she understood she would never have an opportunity like that again.
Fun Fact: Forget coffee — Tammy doesn't function in the morning until she's done her daily round of Sudoku.