We often site female singers but can anyone name some black female musicians?
Off the top of my head, I can think of Tracy Chapman, Meschell Ndegeocello, Debra Killings(Gospel artist that plays the bass) and Gospel icon Twinkie Clark(an organist/pianist/keyboardist/songwriter/producer/musical & vocal arranger).
What Im looking for is not an artist that has the ability to play an instrument (i.e. Mariah allegedly knows how to play a tamborine) but a female who's main part of their artistry revolves around them playing their instrument..(i.e. Tracy Chapman and the guitar, etc)

the reason I specified BLACK is because Im working on a project featuring black female musicians in the history of music
[Edited 5/15/05 8:52am]

Cindy Blackman-Former drummer for Lenny Kravitz

LoveAlive said:

I've really only seen her name as a backup singer on some Atlanta-area R&B albums (eg. TLC)

Patrice Rushen
Sheila E.
Members of Klymaxx
India.Arie
Alicia Keys

Visit her site http://www.rosiegaines.com/ where you can preview and buy a lot of her music including most of her unreleased 1994 album




Sheila E, black???

kat dyson

oleta adams

irene carr

PANDURITO said:

that is the single worst picture of rosie i have ever seen..

and cha know, shiela is of african heritage.....so, yeah!!

PANDURITO said:

Well, due to slavery, a lot of people from Latin America are of mixed heritage (African and Spanish). So she can claim both sides, and I believe she affiliates herself with both Black and Latino.

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

with all due respect to her wonder he must have said that to honor her.....because he has never ever mentioned that statement as far as i know (again).

sosgemini said:

Actually he made quite a few statements on Boyer and those around the band knew how talented she was. She played nine instruments and was considered a phenomenal pianist. Boyer gets props from a great deal of people but she gets no love from the Prince community because she was not in the Revolution. Sheila E. stated how she wishes that Prince had kept the SOTT/Lovesexy band together because it was the best band he ever had. I tend to agree with Sheila.

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

im not saying she wasnt phenomenal...but just a few years back prince said gil evans and lisa coleman were the best pianist evver....

that and the fact that when he talks about musicians he never mentions her now..well, that leads me to think he was speaking more from an emotional standpoint (rightfully so)....

PhilG said:

Eroticist said:

sosgemini said:

OMG, are we back on this again?

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

are you bonnie's kin or something?

sosgemini said:

I really admired alot of here solo stuff and the body of work that she did with Tears For Fears.

sosgemini said:

The "OMG, are we back on this again" comment was in reference to you making the same statement about Prince saying that Lisa Coleman was the greatest/best piano player he's worked with or something to that affect. I simply stated what Prince said about Boni Boyer...the thread is about African American female musicians and I threw her name in because she is rarely mentioned. Prince obviously admired Boni's input on his band because he was hurt when she left and Rosie Gaines place in the NPG was Boyer inspired. Boni Boyer gets respect from the Bay Area musicians of the time, like Levi, Sheila E. and the members of Toni Tony Tone, thats why she needs to be mentioned.

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

no need to back up your admiration for bonnie..she gets love....and respect.

i just wanted to give some historical perspective to the statement you referenced.....aint nothing wrong with doing that too...

Sure.



Joan Armatrading

Stop sleeping on this woman.

EVERYONE forgets this woman. She is phenomenal.

Pick up her greatest hits collection and Me Myself I to get a taste of her art.

The Key (1983) is one of my favorite all-time albums.
[Edited 5/15/05 11:55am]

JANFAN4L said:

Along with Tracy Chapman, she is one of my favorite artist.

Hotlegs said:

I Joan.

There's also:

ESG
The drummer for Kid Rock
The drummer for Kelly Osbourne's band
Tracy Wormworth (bassist for The Waitresses)
Nina Simone
Gail Ann Dorsey (very respected session bassist; Toured with Bowie, Tears For Fears, Gang of Four, etc.)
Rhonda Smith (of course)
Cherokee
Tracy Chapman


...that's all I can think of now.

Ashanti
Beyonce
Amerie

sensational musicians held back by their beauty and weaves

Hazel Scott


Mary Lou Williams


Lil Hardin


Camille Howard


Hadda Brooks

Bobbi Humphrey - Flautist worked with
Duke Ellington ,and on Stevie Wonder (Songs In The Key Of Life)LP
[Edited 5/15/05 20:29pm]

Cynthia Robinson-trumpet player on Sly Stone's band..
[Edited 5/15/05 20:46pm]

Patrice Rushen
Brenda Russell
Rachelle Ferrell
Kat Dyson
[Edited 5/15/05 22:50pm]

Eroticist said:

yeah to the slavery stuff but I know Juanita Escovedo is Black, creole from Louisiana--so that makes Sheila and siblings bi racial so she can claim black through her mama, if she wants too