Shirley Lites
For 16 years Shirley Lites performed as the band leader and background vocalist for R&B crooner, Billy Paul. Her desire to share knowledge and support other women of color in music led her to NABFEME where she was named the organization’s Philadelphia Operations Manager. Shirley’s voice will light up any room as her unique style, vocal range and powerful rhythmic delivery always complements the stage. An international recording artist and songwriter… Shirley Lites has shared the stage with some of the most recognizable artists in music, including Jean Carne, Angela Bofil, Meli’sa Morgan, Melba Moore, Gladys Knight, Al Jarreau, Freddie Jackson, Howard Hewitt, and Chaka Khan to name a few. Her first successful recording was “Heat You Up/Melt You Down” on West End Records which set the tone for her career. Always flipping the script, Shirley covered Teena’s Marie’s “Déjà Vu” and turned that sultry ballad into a high-energy House sensation! Collaborating with legendary Dance music producer Lenny Fontana, Shirley released “Fire,” a UK dance floor sensation sizzler that was featured in Mix Magazine and a chart burner all over Europe. Experience the music of Shirley Lites… your ears will thank you! Available on all digital platforms, you’ll find titles “Strong Woman” “Every Side of Me” “Lover’s Paradise,” Shirley’s most recent single, “Cause We Ended as Lovers” and more.
Donyale Renee
Donyale Renee has performed all over Europe and sang background vocals for Mariah Carey, plus R&B singers Monifa and Maxi Priest to name a few. She has also been the opening act for Smokie Robinson, The Manhattans, Betty Wright, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Adina Howard, Calvin Richardson, Marvin Cease and many others. She was a co-writer of the campaign song that former Mayor of Atlanta Shirley Franklin used throughout her campaign. Performing across the south in the Southern Soul circuit… Donyale is known as The Southern Soul Diamond.
Sharnette Hyter
Her music is raw, soulful, and just like her attitude… always real. A lyricist in the Southern Soul market, Sharnette Hyter is a no-holds-barred artist who gives us a new millennium Etta James type of delivery mashed with an around the way girl Mary J Blige sound. A talented singer-songwriter… she brings young and old soul music audiences together. “There’s a natural high, a rush of adrenalin that I get when I’m writing, recording, and or producing,” says the Dallas, TX native.
Performing and recording professionally since the mid-nineties, Sharnette’s life experiences and love relationships make her the soulful artist she is. She has shared the stage with a cast of entertainers that include Patrick Henry, Floyd Taylor, Buck Zydeco, Bobby Rush, Joe Tex II, Freedom Williams, Big Cynthia Drawing … and even some of the great soul ancestors like Bobby Blue Bland, Marvin Sease and Mel Waters. Sharnette Hyter puts it all down on the stage and says, “I have worked with some great people, but my thing is, if we’re going to work together, you have to understand where I’m coming from.”
Sweet Nay
Always serving up her unique soulful singing flavor, this entertaining Louisiana native is consistently cooking up and treating her audience to an alluring high energy show. From Shreveport, LA… Sweet Nay broke into southern soul with her first big single, “Do You (If I Ain’t The One”)! tWhen t come to the artist Sweet nay… the word sweet is the common denominator as she is as sweet as her music! An all-around entertainer in high heels… Sweet Nay is a little flamboyant, multi-talented, an alpha female who does most of her own writing, and has credits with Carl Sims and others. A surprise to many of her fans as most did not know she was the female vocal on Jeter Jones’ big hit, “I Ain’t Gon Cheat No More.” Sweet Nay likes to bring the heat to the stage and she intentionally leaves her fans hungry for more! It’s that real good, feel good flava of the one and only… SWEET NAY.