René Marie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
René Marie
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Marie performing in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | René Marie Stevens |
| Born | November 7, 1955 Warrenton, Virginia, United States |
| Origin | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Labels | MAXJAZZ, Motéma |
René Marie, born René Marie Stevens on November 7, 1955, is a talented American singer and songwriter. She is well-known for her jazz music. She was born in Warrenton, Virginia.
Contents
René Marie's Music Journey
René Marie started her professional music career when she was 42 years old. She released her first album in 1999. That same year, she performed at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C. She also signed a contract with the St. Louis-based Maxjazz record label.
Early Albums and Awards
René Marie released four albums with the Maxjazz label. Her second album, Vertigo, received a special "coronet ranking" from The Penguin Guide to Jazz. This is a very high honor, given to fewer than 85 jazz recordings in history.
Creative Song Combinations
René Marie is known for her unique way of combining songs. For example, on her album Vertigo, she put together "Dixie" with the anti-lynching song "Strange Fruit". On her album Live at Jazz Standard, she combined Ravel's Boléro with Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne".
Singing Her Own Songs
René Marie loves to write her own music. She has even written songs about how unusual it is for jazz singers to perform their own original works. Her 2011 album, Black Lace Freudian Slip, mostly features songs she wrote herself. One song on the album was written by her son, Michael A. Croan, who also performs on the track.
Songs with Important Messages
Between 2007 and 2009, René Marie released several songs that focused on important social issues. These included "This Is Not a Protest Song," which was about homelessness. She also released "3 Nooses Hanging," which addressed racial problems in Jena, Louisiana.
One-Woman Show
Besides her music, René Marie has also created and performed a special one-woman show. It combines words and music to tell a story about overcoming difficult experiences and building self-esteem. The soundtrack for this show has also been released.
Documentary Film
A short documentary film, about 13 minutes long, was made about René Marie. It is called "Tuning René Marie." The film premiered at the Woodstock Film Festival in New York. It also won an award for the best short documentary at the Virginia Film Festival.
René Marie's Personal Life
René Marie got married when she was 18 years old. By the time she was 23, she was a mother of two children. After 23 years of marriage, her husband told her to stop singing or leave. René Marie chose to continue her music career.
René Marie's Albums
- Renaissance (1999, as René Croan)
- How Can I Keep from Singing? (2000)
- Vertigo (2001)
- Live at the Jazz Standard (2003)
- Serene Renegade (2004)
- Experiment in Truth (2007)
- Black Lace Freudian Slip (2011)
- Voice of My Beautiful Country (2011)
- I Wanna Be Evil: With Love to Eartha Kitt (2013)
- Sound of Red (2016)
- Darius de Haas, Rene Marie, Karen Oberlin, Janis Siegel, Ice on the Hudson: Songs by Renee Rosnes and David Hajdu (2018)
See also
In Spanish: René Marie para niños
