Marlena Shaw

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Marlena Shaw (born Marlina Burgess, September 22, 1942, New Rochelle, New York, United States) is an American singer. Shaw began her singing career in the 1960s and is still singing today. Her music has often been sampled in hip hop music, and used in television commercials

Shaw is a true original with a sound that is soulful, swinging and versatile. Whether she’s delivering a down-home blues or a passionate ballad that’s smooth as silk, Shaw’s voice translates each song into a very personal statement.

Born in Valhalla, NY, Shaw’s first musical influences were her uncle and grandmother, who loved to sing and play gospel music on the family’s “hi-fi” record player. As a girl, Marlena was also involved with numerous gospel singing groups. Her first experience singing before a large audience was with her uncle, who played trumpet and exposed her to the music of jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie. At only 10 years old, Shaw performed with her uncle at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, and they were asked to return for the next week’s show. As Shaw recalls, her uncle got booked elsewhere on the same night, and young Marlena had to take the stage solo at the Apollo for the second show.

Shaw’s professional aspirations were rejuvenated after she was married and living on an Air Force base near Springfield, MA. Encouraged by friends, she auditioned and got some gigs near the base, then made a demo tape in the garage of Charlie Parent, a local drummer. The tape eventually landed her a regular gig at the Concord, a resort hotel in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York.

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Popular tags: soul, female vocalists, jazz, funk, jazz vocal  See more

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1		California Soul			923
2		Woman Of The Ghetto			202
3		California Soul - Diplo Remix			159
4		Let's Wade In The Water			144
5		Liberation Conversation			93
6		California Soul (Diplo/Mad Decent Remix)			76
7		Feel Like Making Love			75
8		Save The Children			68
9		California Soul (A.Skillz Remix)			58
10		Feel Like Makin' Love			45
11		Loving You Was Like A Party			27
12		Woman of the ghetto - Live			23
13		California Soul (Diplo Remix)			22
14		Go Away Little Boy			19
14		Mercy, Mercy, Mercy			19

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