Bad Dog Blues

A gritty, soul-stirring tribute to blues in its rawest form, Bad Dog Blues is Maria Woodford’s unapologetically powerful 2012 album. Rooted in raw emotion and steeped in tradition, the album blends sultry vocals with fierce vulnerability, honoring the heart of blues while creating a space all her own in a genre that embodies the art of transmuting pain into passion.

At the center of the record is the unforgettable title track, “Bad Dog Blues,” featuring Phil Wiggins, National Heritage Fellow and one of the most celebrated blues harmonica players of our time. Phil’s driving, soulful playing adds a depth and authenticity that elevates the track—and the entire album—into blues history.

But Bad Dog Blues doesn’t stop there.

Among its 11 tracks is Maria’s stirring rendition of Nina Simone’s “Do I Move You?”—a cover so deeply felt that it caught the attention of Nina Simone’s daughter. After hearing Maria’s take, she granted her the rights to release it, saying:

“You understand this song the way my mother meant it to be understood.”

Maria was the first of only two artists ever permitted to cover "Do I Move You" formally.

Bad Dog Blues is a love letter to authenticity, to pain transmuted through art, to grit with grace. It’s where lust meets loneliness, where memory meets movement, and where every track begs the question:

“Do I move you?”