Wonder Women: Danielle Nicole
“I decided that every album I make from now on, I’m going to own it and I’m going to own my masters and I’m going to license it because I want my music to go to my children, not somebody else’s label or family.”
– Danielle Nicole, interview with Blues Blast Magazine
Danielle Nicole has built a name as a soulful blues vocalist, an exceptional bassist, and as a bandleader for the Danielle Nicole Band. She has been nominated for a Grammy award for her album Cry No More. Danielle has also been inducted into the Kansas City Hall of Fame, and she has been the recipient of seven Blues Music Awards. She was also the first woman to be nominated and win the Blues Music Award (BMA) for Best Instrumentalist for bass. Danielle is a lefty player, favoring her two Fender Jazz Basses and a Jack Casady Epiphone.
Danielle Nicole Schnebelen was born in Kansas City, Missouri; a city with a rich history of jazz and blues music. Both of her parents were musicians, so they nurtured the talents of Danielle and her siblings.
Danielle began her professional bass career in Trampled Under Foot (TUF), a blues band she formed with her brothers Nick and Kris Schnebelen. She related, “I’ve been singing for a very long time. I started professionally singing in my early teens, and I didn’t start playing bass until Trampled Underfoot was formed. I learned bass to keep it a family blues band, and I just fell in love with it.”
The trio rose to prominence, winning the International Blues Challenge in 2008.
At the 2014 Blues Music Awards, Trampled Under Foot’s album, Badlands, won the “Contemporary Blues Album of the Year” category. Danielle also became the first woman nominated (and to win) in the “Best Instrumentalist – Bass” category. Trampled Under Foot was also nominated in the “Band of the Year” category
After the success of Trampled Under Foot, Danielle decided to pursue a solo career in 2015, forming the Danielle Nicole Band. Danielle’s debut solo album, Wolf Den” showcased her versatility as both a bassist and a vocalist. That debut peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Top Blues albums chart.
Her third release, Cry No More was released on Feb 23rd, 2018. It spent three weeks at number one on Billboard’s US Top Blues Albums. In May 2019, Danielle received two blues music awards for Contemporary Blues Female Artist and Bass Instrumentalist. The album was also nominated for a Grammy in 2019.
Danielle has spoken about the challenges of being a woman in the male-dominated blues scene…and even with her talents and award winning career, she is not immune to sexism. In an interview with Blues Blast Magazine, she shared, “We’re supposed to be fit and quiet unless we are singing. And we can only sing about things that are approved. The standards are absolutely ridiculous. When I was in my twenties and had a banging figure, I never felt like I dressed or acted like a slut, but I still got spoken to like I was one. But I also believe that if any girl wants to be hot—more power to her. It’s not an invitation for misogyny or hate speech. A lot of guys just feel entitled to speak on it. Dressing hot is not an invitation to get preyed upon. And I’m honored to have been the first woman nominated for a Blues Music Award for playing bass, but I wonder why I am the only woman to be nominated this year for that award? Justine Tompkins is an incredible bassist. TK Jackson is an incredible drummer, but she didn’t get nominated. We have come a long way, but unfortunately you still often see festivals with only one female act on the bill.”
Her latest album, The Love You Bleed delves into personal themes of love, loss, and resilience. She related during an interview, “There are definitely a lot more love songs—positive ones. We had a really chaotic upbringing and a chaotic childhood and how we dealt with the madness was singing miserable blues songs to try to get through the pain, almost by wallowing in it. This is a lot more about love. But it’s still about personal experiences, and we had a really great time recording it.”
From her early days with Trampled Under Foot to her successful solo career, Danielle Nicole has navigated challenges with grace and determination. Through her powerful storytelling and evocative performances, Danielle demonstrates that artistry is much more than just raw talent or the time spent in the woodshed. Most importantly, it’s about owning one’s narrative and showing up authentically to forge soulful connections with listeners.
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Brittany Frompovich is a highly regarded educator, clinician, blogger, and bassist who currently resides in the Washington DC/NOVA region. For more content from Brittany, check out her blog, her YouTube channel, and her Bandcamp site. She also offers handmade unisex music-themed jewelry through her Etsy store. Get a Wonder Woman Tee!
