Jenny Douglas (singer-performer) born March 3, 1957.
| Jenny D. Douglas | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Jenny Dawn Douglas |
| Also known as | Jenny Douglas |
| Born | 3 March 1957 Chicago |
| Genres | Gospel, Jazz, jazz fusion, post-bop, Broadway musicals, rock music |
| Occupations | Musician, singer, lecturer |
| Instruments | Clarinet |
| Years active | 1971–present |
| Associated acts | Cher, P!nk, Toto, Mick Jagger, Rob Thomas, Lenny Kravitz |
During her career, Jenny has worked with a plethora of artists from very diverse music genres. Stars such as; P!nk, Rob Thomas, Cher, Janet Jackson, Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz, Moby, Donny Osmond, John Mellencamp, Joe Cocker, Enrique Iglesias, Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx, Patty Austin, Glenn Lewis, Joey McIntyre, Elton John, Tina Turner, Madonna, Snoop Dogg, and has performed steadily with Toto since 1990. Born in Chicago, raised in Lexington, KY, Jenny, as legend has it, began to sing before she learned to talk.
Her mother, Ella Louise Douglas, was the fire that sparked within Jenny the joy of exploring music. Jenny and her three younger brothers were swept up in their mother’s love of music, even though Jenny was the only one to embark on a professional music career.
It was the adoration of her mother’s voice that would inspire Jenny, and also terrify her. Jenny’s idolization of her mother had a boomerang effect, as it also incapacitated her with extreme stage fright whenever in her presence.
“My mother’s beautiful voice overwhelmed me, it would mesmerize me and paralyze me.”
How did she get over this phobia? At the age of 13, the finalist in a beauty pageant, Jenny was to sing her song for the talent component of the competition. However, upon spying her mother in the audience, she could only utter two syllables before freezing in terror, and dashing off the stage in shame. It was at that time she decided to muster all of her strength and over come this debilitating fear.
By the age of 14, Ms Douglas made her first recording of Gospel music inspired by her first mentor, Richard Green. Their group was named after him, being known as the Green Singers.
From the age of nine all the way to college, Jenny took lessons in clarinet, but she never had singing lessons until reaching college.
Jenny began working in musical theatre in the Lexington House Players. She attended Morehead State University, where she majored in theatre and communication and minored in music. Mid-way she transferred to Wright State University in Ohio. There, Jenny joined the rock group, “Dayton”, a post-disco funk band, as the lead singer and only female in which they produced two albums, “Dayton” and “Cutie Pie”.
Jenny’s life took another interesting turn when Sandra Reaves-Phillips, with her troupe of actors, arrived in town with their truck-and-bus show and set up auditions for local performers for "When Mahalia Sings", the biographical musical on the life of Mahalia Jackson.
Jenny had no intention of auditioning, but she accompanied a friend who was. While there, she learned one of the parts, being one of the few people there who could read music, and began singing. The show’s producers were under the false impression that she was someone else, who had received a call-back. After singing for them, and then clarifying the mix-up, she was unexpectedly hired. From this unforeseen success, and with the urging of supportive friends, she was convinced to move to New York. Within four days of arriving she was hired for her first gig. And as Jenny says, “I’ve been working ever since.”
Jenny went straight into cabaret work performing in many different clubs, for example the Harlem landmark, Small’s Paradise and Greene Street Café. In addition, she worked on an Aerobics DVD singing popular music re-arranged for aerobic workouts. Jenny, still succeeding in the acting component of her career, was the understudy for the lead, and performed as the lead for two performances per week, in the play, “The River”.
Because of this, she performed in the Off-Broadway showcase, “Waiting in the Wings” in which understudies are given their chance to star. She was one of the four actors chosen for that year’s performance.
However, Jenny’s career took a more dramatic turn towards music when she performed with R&B singer Meli'sa Morgan on her debut album, of her cover of Prince’s, “Do Me Baby”. They also opened for Billy Ocean on 48 city tour. This lead to her touring with Keith Sweat, another R&B performer, accompanying him on his final tour.
At this point, unlike everyone else in her industry, Jenny never needed an agent. The plentiful work kept pouring in on its own. However Nona Hendryx’s manager, Vicki Wickham, watched her performance and put her into contact with a whole new avenue of opportunity.
Working first with Mick Jagger and then on Donny Osmond’s comeback tour, “Soldier of Love”, in which Jenny was featured. And from there things really took off, and the rest, as they say, is history. The list of artists are as diverse as the genres they represent.
For nine years she toured the world with super group Toto. On the opposite extreme, Jenny performed and toured with John Mellencamp In 1991 and then in 1998 she toured with Joe Cocker. Also during this time she worked with Taylor Dayne, Madonna and R&B artist, Glen Lewis.
In 2001, Jenny performed with Janet Jackson on her HBO Special in Hawaii. Six years she worked with Patti Austin, in addition to Joey McIntyre from New Kids on the Block, and Enrique Iglesias.
Other performers she has been featured with was Rob Thomas, lead singer of Matchbox Twenty, on his PBS Special, “Live at Red Rock.”
Jenny also sang back-up with Tina Turner and Elton John.
In 2008, Jenny worked for three years with Cher on her Farewell Tour.
Jenny first stated dating her husband, composer, producer and bassist, Gary Foote in 2004. The couple tied the knot in a ceremony with family and friends on the 28th February 2010 at Caesars Palace.
Since 2006 she has performed with P!nk in the “I’m Not Dead” Tour, “The Funhouse” Tour and “The Carnival” Tour. She worked with Lenny Kravitz opening for U2 in the Stadium Tours playing before crowds of over 60,000 in San Francisco, twice in Anaheim and in Seattle.
Since 2004 she has been an active member for the non-profit Broadway International Voices doing concerts for charity and touring children’s hospitals.
Working now in production with husband Gary Foote, she also lectures in major universities throughout the country on how to succeed as a professional in the world of music and performing.
Jenny Douglas, continues her life of giving, through her performances, her charity work and speaking engagements. Ever on the go, she still hears her mother’s voice in the background, always urging her onward, to aspire for more and to inspire whoever she sings for.