Valerie: The Amy Winehouse Tribute Band

Valerie is a full-band tribute to Amy Winehouse fronted by Elsa Cedeño, a seasoned vocalist with more than a decade of experience who captures Amy’s unmistakable voice and presence. Backed by a horn-driven band that recreates the vintage soul and jazz arrangements of Back to Black, the Santa Cruz-based act has become one of California’s premier Amy Winehouse tributes, selling out theaters and clubs across the state.

TSE’s booking team recommends Valerie for theaters, clubs, festivals, and private events that want an authentic, full-band Amy Winehouse experience, with particular strength across California and the West Coast.

Best For

Theaters, clubs, festivals, corporate events, and private parties wanting a soul and R&B headline.

Audience Fit

Soul, jazz, and R&B audiences, plus multigenerational and nostalgia-minded crowds.

Format

Full live band with a horn section, fronted by lead vocalist Elsa Cedeño. Authentic Back to Black-era arrangements.

Availability

Santa Cruz-based, touring California and the West Coast, with wider availability. Non-exclusive.

Why This Tribute Works Every Time

Any Amy Winehouse tribute lives or dies on the voice, and Valerie is built around one of the best. Lead singer Elsa Cedeño is a seasoned performer with more than a decade of experience, and audiences and press alike single her out for capturing both the tone and the raw emotional delivery that made Amy unmistakable. That vocal is the anchor the whole show is built on.

A horn-driven band with authentic arrangements

Amy Winehouse’s sound came from vintage soul and jazz instrumentation, and Valerie recreates it with a full band and a live horn section rather than a stripped-down lounge act. The arrangements mirror Amy’s original studio and live versions, from the saxophone lines to the retro rhythm section, so the show sounds like the records rather than an approximation of them.

A curated set, not just the hits

Valerie’s set list goes beyond a greatest-hits playlist. Alongside the signature songs, the band works in deeper album cuts and the rare covers Amy loved, arranged with care to reflect how she actually performed them. For a Winehouse devotee, that depth is the difference between a cover set and a genuine tribute.

The catalog of a generational voice

Amy Winehouse won five Grammy Awards in a single night in 2008, becoming the first British woman to do so, and her album Back to Black stands among the best-selling albums of the twenty-first century with more than sixteen million copies sold. Valerie performs that catalog with the respect and the soul it demands.

Audience & Venue Response

Since its first shows, Valerie has built a fast-growing following and a reputation as one of Northern California’s premier tribute acts, selling out theaters and clubs across the state at rooms like the Rio Theatre, August Hall, and Cornerstone Berkeley. The band has also drawn press coverage that singles out the authenticity of the performance and the strength of its lead vocalist.

“Elsa Cedeño gives Amy Winehouse her due in a stunning tribute.” — Metro Silicon Valley

Multiple Show Formats Available

Valerie can be configured to fit the room and the occasion.

  • Full-band concert: the complete show with horn section, sized for theaters, clubs, and performing arts rooms.
  • Festival or corporate set: a tightened, hits-forward version for shorter windows and shared bills.
  • Intimate or private-event set: a performance tailored to smaller rooms and special occasions.

Perfect For

  • Theaters and performing arts center dates
  • Clubs, supper clubs, and live music venues
  • Music festivals and outdoor concert series
  • Corporate events and brand activations
  • Private parties and soul or jazz themed events

See the Show in Action

Hit Songs Your Crowd Will Love

A Valerie performance draws from across the Amy Winehouse catalog. A representative set can include:

  • Rehab
  • Back to Black
  • Valerie
  • You Know I’m No Good
  • Tears Dry on Their Own
  • Love Is a Losing Game
  • Stronger Than Me
  • Our Day Will Come
  • Wake Up Alone
  • Just Friends
  • He Can Only Hold Her

About the Show

Amy Winehouse was one of the most distinctive voices of the twenty-first century. The British singer-songwriter blended soul, jazz, and rhythm and blues into deeply personal music, and her 2006 album Back to Black became one of the best-selling albums of the century, with more than sixteen million copies sold. In 2008 she won five Grammy Awards in a single night, the first British woman to do so, and her influence on a generation of soul and pop singers is still felt today. Her passing in 2011 cut short one of music’s brightest talents.

Valerie is a Santa Cruz-based tribute dedicated to that legacy. Fronted by seasoned vocalist Elsa Cedeño and backed by a horn-driven band of accomplished musicians, the act recreates the vintage soul and jazz sound of Amy’s catalog with meticulous care. In a short time, Valerie has become one of California’s premier Amy Winehouse tributes, earning sold-out shows and press acclaim across the state.

The timing keeps the music front of mind. Renewed interest around a landmark Back to Black anniversary and a recent feature film has introduced Amy’s catalog to a new generation, while longtime fans continue to cherish it. Because Amy can never perform again, an authentic full-band tribute like Valerie is the closest an audience can come to experiencing her music live, which makes it a strong draw for theaters, festivals, and private events.

Looking for a Amy Winehouse Tribute? We Have Multiple Options

While this is our top Amy Winehouse tribute act, TSE Entertainment works with a range of high-quality Amy Winehouse tributes nationwide.

That means you are not locked into a single option. We help match the right act to your event based on practical factors that actually affect success.

  • Budget range
  • Event size and production needs
  • Location and travel costs
  • Availability on your date
  • Preferred style, whether high-energy, theatrical, or more straightforward classic rock

We have booked hundreds of tribute acts nationwide, and every option we recommend is vetted and event-proven. If Valerie is not the perfect fit, we will quickly suggest comparable options that are.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for Valerie depends on date, location, routing, and the format you choose, from an intimate set to a full-band headline concert. Routing is most efficient across California and the West Coast, though wider availability can be arranged. TSE Entertainment handles the booking, contracting, and logistics end to end. For current availability and a quote tailored to your event, contact TSE’s booking team at 800-765-8203.

Frequently Asked Questions

Book Valerie

Ready to bring the soul of Amy Winehouse to your stage? TSE Entertainment has more than 50 years of experience placing tribute and touring acts for fairs, festivals, theaters, clubs, and corporate events. Call our booking team at 800-765-8203 to check availability for Valerie and get a quote tailored to your event.