Pyeng Threadgill facts for kids

Pyeng Dubra Threadgill, born on November 14, 1977, is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. She sings blues, jazz, and soul blues music. Her father, Henry Threadgill, is a famous bandleader and composer. Her mother, Christina Jones, is a dancer. Pyeng has released three albums since 2004.

Early Life and Music Studies

Pyeng Threadgill was born in New York City, USA. Her parents are Henry Threadgill and Christina Jones. Her mother helped start a dance group called Urban Bush Women. Pyeng went to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. There, she studied classical music and earned a degree in music.

Even as a teenager, Pyeng loved to sing. She performed in different dance and theater shows. She once said that she and a friend would make a game of writing songs very quickly. Pyeng also received a special award, the Mellon Fellowship, to study music in Brazil.

Pyeng's Music Career

In 2004, Pyeng Threadgill signed her first music deal. She released her first album, Sweet Home: Pyeng Threadgill Sings Robert Johnson. This album came out through an independent music company called Random Chance Records. The album featured 11 cover songs by the blues legend Robert Johnson. Each song was performed in a different music style. Pyeng wanted each song to sound unique.

A year later, her second album, Of The Air, was released. It included a cover of the song "Close to Me" by the Cure. After this album, Pyeng went on a tour across Europe. She often performed at many places in New York City. Later, she moved to Berkeley, California.

Big Performances and Film

Pyeng Threadgill has performed at many important music events. She was a main performer at the Fillmore Jazz Festival. She also appeared at the Montreal Jazz Festival and the Detroit Institute of The Arts. In Paris, France, she played at the Sun Side Jazz Club.

In 2006, Pyeng was part of a documentary film. The movie was called Retour à Gorée. It starred the famous musician Youssou N'Dour. The film was directed by Pierre-Yves Borgeaud.

New Music and Projects

After performing for several years and raising her daughter, Pyeng started a new project. She created a collection of songs based on short stories. These stories were written by authors like Jamaica Kincaid and Bruno Schulz. This song collection was called Portholes to a Love & Other Short Stories.

In 2008, Pyeng received a special award for her music composition from the New York Foundation for the Arts. This project became her third album, which she released herself in 2009. In 2010, Pyeng performed at the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. Since then, she has worked on other music projects. This includes working with pianist Marc Cary and creating theater shows.

Albums

See also

• List of electric blues musicians