Whitney Wolanin
| Whitney Wolanin | |
|---|---|
 Whitney Wolanin | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Whitney Margaret Wolanin |
| Born |
June 29, 1990 Albany, New York, United States |
| Genres | Pop, pop rock |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Piano, drums, guitar |
| Labels | TopNotch |
| Website | whitneywolanin.com |
Whitney Wolanin (pronounced WHOA-Lan-in), born June 29, 1990 (New York), is a singer and songwriter, who also plays piano and drums. Her father, Vincent, is a developer (Wolanin Companies Ltd.) who also started TopNotch Entertainment in the late 1980s.[1] Whitney records for her and her sister's label, TopNotch Records, which she and her sister Victoria operate.
Recording career
Growing up in Florida, Whitney first told her father of her desire to record an album when she was 11.[2] When she was 13, her father relented, and over her summer break she recorded an album with her father's personal friend, Bob Babbitt (second-string bassist—after James Jamerson—for Motown's studio group, The Funk Brothers), in Nashville. The album, Funkology XIII, released two years later in 2005, was made up of twelve R&B covers (mostly of Motown origin) and one original.
A version of Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston's "It Takes Two", sung with Jimi Jamison of Survivor, reached #9 on radio trade publication Friday Morning Quarterback's AC40 Chart,[3] and was a #1 most added song,[4] Whitney's song “Good” (which she co-wrote with Babbitt and her father) peaked at #7.[5]
In late 2005, Whitney released "Christmas (The Warmest Time of the Year)"—another original she co-wrote with Babbitt and her father. The song made FMQB's Top 100 airplay chart at #87 in 2005.[6]
The following year, Wolanin released her second album, Christmasology, a collection of Christmas songs recorded in 2005. Christmasology featured 15 songs, including "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree”, "Frosty the Snowman”, "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", as well as "Christmas (The Warmest Time of the Year)". "Frosty” was the Most Added Christmas song at radio in the weeks of November 5, 2006 and November 19, 2006.[7] In December 2006, "Frosty" peaked at #11 on R&R's Media Base Top 40 Radio Airplay Charts,[8] and was played on over 800 radio stations.[9]
"Loud and Clear", a song Wolanin co-wrote with her older sister Victoria, was released as a single on June 4, 2007 to dance and club radio. "Loud and Clear" was featured on an episode of the MTV series The Hills.
Whitney released a six-song EP, Girl, in 2009, composed of six songs written both by herself and with her sister, some dating to when she was 13 years old. An acoustic version of that EP's "So Close" was included on the compilation album Majic Miracle Music Vol. 3,[10] a benefit for the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children.
In April 2011, Whitney released Whitney Wolanin 1, a six-song EP of original compositions, which she recorded while attending Vanderbilt University.
Whitney, at age 21, released her radio single "Honesty" on January 9, 2012. The single, which she wrote and recorded, spent over 36 weeks on the national airplay charts (Billboard and Mediabase) and peaked at #21 in April 2012.
A new Whitney Wolanin mini-album Let's Be Honest Part 1 was released on August 14 in the US and internationally on iTunes. It features five new original songs plus a version of her hit "Honesty".
In December 2012, Whitney released "Frosty the Snowman" and the song went top 20, peaking at #13 on Billboard/BDS.
Wolanin released her next single, "Wrong Guy (I Did It This Time)", on February 11, 2013. She self-penned and recorded the song, which is all about wanting the someone that you shouldn't. "Wrong Guy (I Did It This Time)" peaked at #16 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
On November 5, 2013, Whitney released "Run, Run Rudolph", which has climbed the Mediabase Holiday Chart to #5, her highest charting song ever. The single is off of her new mini-album of the same name featuring a country mix of "Run, Run Rudolph", "Frosty", as well as an a new rendition of "Silver Bells". In conjunction with the release, "Run, Run Rudolph" exclusively premiered on Yahoo! Music.[11] Currently, "Run, Run Rudolph" is #2 on the Billboard charts.
Extracurricular activities
Whitney was a celebrity spokesperson for the Youth Crime Watch of America, helping young people avoid problems on the internet. Wolanin also participated in Rockin' Christmas Fund charity fundraiser events to benefit the Rockin’ Christmas Scholarship Fund. Her involvement included visiting Children's Hospitals with other celebrities and providing autographed CDs to children at the Shriners Hospitals at Christmas. At 6 feet tall, she played on her high school basketball team. [12]
Wolanin graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2011 with a BS in human organizational development.
Discography
- Funkology XIII (2005, TopNotch)
- "Christmas (The Warmest Time of the Year)" single (2005, TopNotch)
- Christmasology (2006, TopNotch)
- "Loud and Clear" single (2007, TopNotch)
- Girl. EP (2009, TopNotch)
- 1 EP (2011, TopNotch)
- Let's Be Honest, Pt. 1 EP (2012, TopNotch)
- "Wrong Guy (I Did It This Time)" single (2013, TopNotch)
- "Run, Run Rudolph" Mini Album (2013, TopNotch)
References
- ↑ A long-distance goal, The Business Review, January 30, 1998
- ↑ Star on the horizon, Jennifer Sutcliffe, Naples Daily News, November 3, 2006.
- ↑ AC Top 40 Radio Chart, Friday Morning Quarterback, April 19, 2006
- ↑ AC Radio Weekly Report, Friday Morning Quarterback, April 2006
- ↑ AC Top 40 Radio Chart, Friday Morning Quarterback, November 2, 2005
- ↑ Annual Summary Report, Friday Morning Quarterback, December 2005
- ↑ R&R, December 4, 2006
- ↑ AC Radio Chart, R&R, December 11, 2006
- ↑ AC Radio Media Base Holiday Summary, Radio & Records Weekly, December 30, 2006
- ↑ Majic Miracle Music Volume 3
- ↑ Get in the Holiday Spirit With First Listen To Singer-Pianist Whitney Wolanin’s ‘Rudolph’, Wendy Geller, Yahoo! Music, November 4, 2013.
- ↑ Sounds of Motown, Tiffany Yates, Naples Daily News, March 24, 2006.