Nnenna Freelon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nnenna Freelon
Freelon in 1998
Background information
Birth name	Chinyere Nnenna Pierce
Born	(1954-07-28) July 28, 1954 (age 70) Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, pop
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Concord, Columbia

Nnenna Freelon, born on July 28, 1954, is a talented American jazz singer. She also writes, produces, and arranges music. She is known for her amazing voice and her passion for helping others through music.

Early Life and Education

Nnenna Freelon grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her birth name was Chinyere Nnenna Pierce. She was raised by her parents, Charles and Frances Pierce, and has a brother, Melvin, and a sister, Debbie.

From a young age, Nnenna loved to sing. She sang a lot in her community and at her church, the Union Baptist Church. She once said that she started singing in church, just like many other famous singers.

Nnenna went to Simmons College in Boston. She earned a degree in health care administration. For a while, she worked for the Durham County Hospital Corporation in Durham, North Carolina.

Nnenna says that many "not famous people" influenced her music. She also learned from artists like Nina Simone and Billy Eckstine. Her parents often played their records at home. She believes it's important to share many kinds of music with children. Her grandmother gave her great advice: "Bloom where you're planted." This meant she should sing where she was, instead of moving to big cities like New York or Los Angeles.

Nnenna Freelon's Music Career

Nnenna Freelon with jazz legend Clark Terry at the White House in 2006

In 1990, Nnenna Freelon attended a jazz meeting. There, she met Ellis Marsalis, a famous jazz musician and educator. This meeting changed her career. She had been singing for seven years by then.

Ellis Marsalis wanted to help new artists. At the same time, George Butler from Columbia Records was looking for a female singer. Ellis asked Nnenna for her music and press kit. Two years later, she signed with Columbia Records! She was in her late 30s when her first CD, Nnenna Freelon, came out in 1992.

After Columbia Records, she signed with Concord Records in 1996. Nnenna has worked with many legendary musicians. Some of them include Ray Charles, Al Jarreau, Aretha Franklin, and Herbie Hancock. She has also performed at famous places like Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. She has also graced the stages of the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival.

Babysong Workshops: Music for Healing

Nnenna Freelon is a national spokesperson for the National Association of Partners in Education. This group helps connect schools and communities across the U.S. They focus on arts education.

Even as her jazz career grew, Nnenna kept her ties to health care. In 1990, she started her "Babysong workshops" at Duke University Medical Center. These workshops teach new mothers and health workers how important the human voice is for healing and caring. She stresses that parents singing to their children helps their brain develop.

Personal Life and Family

In 1979, Nnenna Freelon married architect Philip Freelon. They raised three children: Deen, Maya, and Pierce. She decided to become a professional jazz singer after her children were older.

Her son, Pierce Freelon, is a talented hip hop artist. He is also a professor at North Carolina Central University. He founded a website called Blackademics, where he has interviewed many important people.

Her son, Deen Freelon, is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He studies how social media and politics are connected. Her daughter, Maya Freelon Asante, is a visual artist.

Awards and Honors

• Eubie Blake Award, Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute
• Billie Holiday Award, Académie du Jazz

Discography

Grammy Awards History

Nnenna Freelon has been nominated for several Grammy Awards, which are very important music awards. Here's a look at her nominations:

See also

In Spanish: Nnenna Freelon para niños