AverySunshine

AverySunshine
Background information
Birth name	Denise Nicole White
Born	(1975-05-22) 22 May 1975 Chester, Pennsylvania
Genres	R&B, soul
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Piano, Vocals
Years active	1993 - present
Labels	BigShine, Shanachie
Website	www.averysunshine.com

Denise Nicole White, professionally known as AverySunshine (sometimes stylized as Avery*Sunshine), is an American singer and pianist.^[1][2][3]

Early life and education

White was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, a small city southwest of Philadelphia, to Ruth Eleanor White and Irving Cyril White. She began playing piano at 8, after she saw a classmate perform, and learned to read hymns before beginning to study classical music at 11. At 13 she expanded her repertoire to include jazz and had her first recital.^[4][5] Three years later, her Aunt, a church choir director, asked Sunshine to fill in for her during a Sunday service at a Catholic church; she was subsequently hired by churches of all denominations, including the AME Church, where she performed with the award-winning Wilmington/Chester Mass Choir.^[6][7]

White, who sang in her high school choir, graduated from the Country Day of the Sacred Heart in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania in 1993. She attended Spelman College in Atlanta,^[8] and although she enrolled as a Piano major, she switched course after she became disillusioned with the music program. Sunshine graduated with a degree in Philosophy in 1998.^[9][10]

Career

In college, White met Maia Nkenge Wilson, a vocal major, and together they formed a gospel and r&b singing duo, DaisyRew.^[7][11] In addition to performing in Africa, DaisyRew played churches in the area and at clubs, including the Apache Café, which was noted for launching the careers of several prominent artists, including India.Arie. Wilson was cast in a Broadway role following college, and Sunshine was hired as the Minister of Music at the St. Paul AME Church in Atlanta. DaisyRew continued to perform when Wilson, on breaks from her theatrical career in New York, would return to Atlanta.^[7] While working at the St. Paul AME Church, White met Dana Johnson, a guitarist, producer and songwriter who had previously worked with India.Arie.^[12] White, Johnson and Wilson began working together in 2003 with Johnson writing and producing the music, in addition to managing DaisyRew’s career.^[13] Soon after, Wilson was again cast in a Broadway production, and she left for New York. White then adopted the name AverySunshine.^[7]

In 2005, White and Johnson recorded "Stalker," a neo soul song, which a friend, Chris Brann, set to a house beat. The track became a dance hit on a Japanese record label, which led to a series of live dates in Japan.^[1]

White and Johnson began work on what would become AverySunshine’s self-titled debut album, released in 2010 on their own label, BigShine. Recorded mainly at White’s home with ProTools, the record included guest appearances from pianist Takana Miyamoto, vibraphone player Roy Ayers and Christian McBride.^[2][14] The record was praised by the media, with USA Today calling it "refreshingly original"^[15] and The Washington Post describing it as "a radiant brand of soul." ^[16][17][18] White—a single mother of two – focused on AverySunshine, but also accepted jobs as a keyboardist with artists including Tyler Perry and Jennifer Holiday and served as a choral director for Atlanta performances by artists such as Michael Buble, Anthony Hamilton, and David Foster.^[19][20] From 2010 until late 2013, AverySunshine toured consistently, and developed a following throughout the United States,^[21] the UK,^[22] Europe, and Africa.^[23] They began recording a second album, The Sunroom, in November 2013, which will be released in May 2014 through a partnership with Shanachie Records.^[24][25]

Personal

White lives in Atlanta. Divorced in 2008, she is the mother of two children, a daughter, Drew, and a son, Evan.^[1][26]

Awards

• iTunes Best of 2010
• Soultracks Reader's Choice Best New Artist
• Jet Top 5 Rising Indie Artists
• Creative Loafing Album of the Year Selection^[7][27]

Discography

Albums

• AverySunshine (2010, Bigshine)

Track listing:

• "All in My Head"
• "The Most"
• "Ugly Part of Me"
• "Perform Interlude"
• "Need You Now"
• "Pinin'"
• "I Got Sunshine"
• "Blessin' Me"
• "Everybody Loves"
• "Like This"
• "Just Not Tonight"
• "Big Mama"

• The SunRoom (2014, Shanachie)

Track listing:

• "Won't You Try"
• "Call My Name"
• "S.Y.W.I.G.T. Interlude"
• "One Foot Ahead"
• "Meditation #1 (Conversation With God)"
• "Time to Shine"
• "Nothing to Something"
• "I Do Love You (You Ain't Got to Lie)"
• "Sweet Afternoon"
• "See You When I Get There"
• "Safe In His Arms"

Singles

• "Stalker" (2005)
• "Ugly Part of Me" 2010^[28]
• "Call My Name" (2014)^[29]

External links

• Official website
• AverySunshine on Facebook

References