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WHAT IT MEANS TO BE
JEWISH IN PHILADELPHIA
jewishexponent.com/subscribe 24
DECEMBER 19, 2019
t’s 9 o’clock on a Saturday when Sister Blue begins to play.

Th ere isn’t much of a stage at Th e Pines Tavern in Bristol,
just a raised platform.

But tonight, it belongs to her.

Strumming along is her friend of 30 years Mark Furman, who
said she’s “the best singer I know — just traditional old-time
blues. You don’t hear singers like that anymore.”
Sister Blue is the stage name of Jewish musician Nanette
Arndts, 56, who has performed throughout Greater Philadelphia
since 1981.

Music is Arndts’ “bread and butter.” She writes her own
songs and plays drums and guitar and sings backup for other
bands. Her love of music was instilled by her parents, a World
War II Army veteran and a Holocaust survivor. While her father
preferred jazz and her mother listened to classical, for Arndts, it’s
all about the blues.

“It’s basically a music of passion. It’s gut-soulfully
music. ... The big thing about blues is there’s an
honesty about it.”
NANETTE ARNDTS
“It’s basically a music of passion. It’s gut-soulfully music,”
Arndts said. “It’s sarcasm, and the big thing about blues is there’s
an honesty about it. It’s supposed to be clever. People think of
blues as depressing music to bring you down and make you sad,
but that’s not the case. It’s supposed to be music that lift s you up.”
THE GOOD LIFE
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



Kylie , director of sales
Grace , a resident
Compassionate and marketing
Photo by Gary Bodner
Memory Care
To date, Arndts has released three
albums: “Red, White & Sister Blue”
in 2002, “Lust, Pain, And Other
Temptations” in 2005 and “I Should’ve
Said No” in 2012. In a review of the fi rst
CD for the Reading Eagle, Jim Speese
described Arndts’ voice as “a sort of
amalgamation of Janis Joplin and Bonnie
Raitt” and a “smooth but emotional wail
that walks the line between self-parody
and soul-searching.”
Arndts grew up in Northeast
Philadelphia, where she resides. She
attended the Philadelphia High School
for Creative and Performing Arts. At fi rst,
she was a dance major, but later switched
to music. At 17, she picked up the guitar,
and at 18 began playing professionally.

She said it wasn’t easy performing live as a
women in the early 1980s, but eventually
she got the chance to play at festivals and
open for other artists.

Many of Arndts’ original tracks are
“sarcastic songs about romantic experi-
ences, some that weren’t as romantic as
they should have been” or mistakes made.

But one thing she didn’t regret was never
giving up her music. Arndts chose not
to pursue a full-time music career due
to being a single mother, so she worked
to balance raising two kids, Melody and
Jordan, with her passion.

“I had so many people when I was
“ I love it here at The Hearth. I call it ‘my castle.’
Everything is so beautiful and clean. The staff is
wonderful - Kylie is like an angel with wings.

I’m glad my daughter found ‘my castle’ for me.”
~Grace , a resident
For staff members like Kylie, director of sales and marketing,
forming relationships and bonding with residents is the best part
of the day. At The Hearth, residents expect, deserve, and receive
the best care and the best lifestyle. They can always expect
The Hearth’s team to go above and beyond.

Learn more about the extraordinary experience that only
The Hearth at Drexel can offer. Call 1-877-205-9428 or
visit www.TheHearthAtDrexel.org/Luxurious to schedule
a personal tour or to obtain additional information.

Assisted Living • Memory Care • Respite Care
238 Belmont Ave. | Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
www.TheHearthAtDrexel.org See Singer, Page 26
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM THE GOOD LIFE
DECEMBER 19, 2019
25