Ruthie Foster had been putting out records for 10 years before most of the blues world even realized it. But there’s nothing like a Grammy nomination and a Blues Music Award for Female Artist of the Year to open some eyes.

“I think there’s a lot more folks looking, I’ll put it that way,” says Foster, who performs at the Metro Fountain Blues Festival this Saturday.

Foster won the Blues Music Award in 2010, accepting it with a sense of humor and humility that’s typical of her approach.

“I was just happy to be invited to the party,” she says of the awards ceremony. “And then they give you an award just for showing up? That was pretty cool.”

In all seriousness, though, for someone who basically came out of folk music (as evidenced by her first three records), the award meant something bigger than just the impact of her work that year.

“It’s a huge nod to just being included in the blues world, and the folks who voted for me,” says Foster.

And it didn’t just happen by chance. It all started with her 2007 record The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster, which was designed to change the course of her career, right down to the larger-than-life title.

“It was kind of a throwback to the way the music industry used to introduce people to the world,” she says.

And that wasn’t the only blues tradition she observed. “I recorded it in Memphis, just to really solidify that blues side,” she says. “And eat as much BBQ as I could. It was a real party.”

Her 2009 follow-up was The Truth About Ruthie Foster, which got the Grammy nom, and she’s back this year with Let It Burn.

Throughout, she’s continued to develop her unusual sound, which mixes blues and folk with the gospel and soul music of her upbringing. Besides two original songs, the new album is a wild mix of covers, from the Black Keys’ “Everlasting Light” (see below) to Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain” to an absolutely remarkable, shimmering take on Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” Guests include gospel legends the Blind Boys of Alabama, the rhythm section of the Funky Meters, New Orleans guitarist Dave Easley and organ cult hero Ike Stubblefield (best known for his work with Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield).

“It’s not about leaving one genre,” says Foster of her musical evolution. “As a person, I’m always growing. And as an artist, too.”

RUTHIE FOSTER performs at the Metro Fountain Blues Festival on Saturday, July 14 at St. James Park in San Jose, noon-8pm; $10/$12.

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The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio has become the most influential music festival in the country, but it wasn’t always like that.

After a slow start in 1999, organizers didn’t even bother to try again in 2000, and only a miracle second shot in 2001 (courtesy, of all people, Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell—more on that later) turned the festival’s fortunes around.

What a difference a decade makes. Despite the fact that Coachella infamously recycled its headliners (and a lot of its other acts last year), the festival matched its attendance record set the year before. It sold out in six days. This year, organizers added a second weekend (featuring the same line-up led by Radiohead, Black Keys and Dr. Dre with Snoop Dogg, along with Bon Iver, Florence and the Machine, the Shins and more)—both sold out in three hours. Even if they’re still capping paid attendance at around 75,000 per day, that’s still almost half a million people kicking up dust in the desert. (Those looking to skip the desert scene can find many Coachella acts performing in the Bay Area in the weeks surrounding the event).

As its drawing power has grown, its cultural influence has grown even more. In fact, it’s practically become synonymous with reuniting big-name bands, partially because it owes its continued existence to the reunion of Jane’s Addiction in 2001; it was the surprise booking that made that year’s festival a hit. Other reunions that built Coachella’s rep include the Stooges in 2003, the Pixies in 2004 and Rage Against the Machine in 2007.

This year features a record number of reunited bands: Mazzy Star, Pulp, At the Drive In and Refused among them. When I spoke to Ed Crawford, vocalist and guitarist for the post-Minutemen cult favorites Firehose, he admitted their new reunion is pretty much entirely because of Coachella. Organizers had actually approached the band last year, but they were unable to do the festival because of Mike Watt’s prior commitments. But they didn’t let up, coming back with another offer this year.