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Marie "Queenie" Lyons


Ashtabula, 1962 -

Marie "Queenie" Lyons is the Queen of Ashtabula soul and funk. To be honest, there is not a lot of competition for that title. We're not aware of any other soul singers from that relatively small town in the NE corner of Ohio, certainly none who recorded for King records. Even if she was from a larger, more soulful place, the quality of her few recordings would still deserve a title.

Marie was not born in Ashtabula, but moved there as a child with her family to be closer to other family members. She started performing as a teen in local clubs, primarily in the Geneva-On-The-Lake area.  She recorded her first 45 in Louisville for the Sims label, a Nashville label that had ties to Cincinnati and Louisville, around 1966. 

Three years later, after touring with King Curtis and performing  in the region with James Brown, JB got her connected with King records where she recorded an LP of hard hitting funk and soul. The LP and the three 45s got a little action, mainly in the SW Ohio area, but were not enough to keep her recording career afloat.

She settled down in Ashtabula and opened a bar called Queenies which is still open at this writing (2014) and she is still active.

Discography:

A Minute Of His Goodtime / Good Soul Lovin' - Sims 104 - 1967
Drown In My Own Tears / Try Me - Deluxe 101
Fever / You Key Don't Fit It Anymore - Deluxe 103
See And Don't See / Daddy's House - Deluxe 123 - March 1970
LP- Soul Fever - Deluxe 12001 - Oct. 1970