Abby Dobson is a singer, songwriter

Songwriter

A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

, and performer based in New York City. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Abby migrated to Brooklyn, New York at a young age.

Abby's music is described as soulful and organic. Although her music can technically be categorized as alternative R&B

Rhythm and blues

Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...

, soul or neo-soul

Neo soul

The term neo soul was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s as a marketing category following the commercial breakthroughs of artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell...

, her range of influences come from folk-tinged music such as reggae

Reggae

Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...

, country

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

, blues

Blues

Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...

, gospel

Gospel music

Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....

 as well as pop, soft rock

Soft rock

Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...

, jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 and a touch of hip hop

Hip hop

Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...

. She has also been classically trained as a vocalist since Junior High School. Abby has a great passion for words and books. Much of her lyrics are inspired by books, essays and newspaper articles as much as life and observation. Specifically, she has been deeply influenced by Alice Walker

Alice Walker

Alice Malsenior Walker is an American author, poet, and activist. She has written both fiction and essays about race and gender...

, Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison is a Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, editor, and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, vivid dialogue, and richly detailed characters. Among her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon and Beloved...

, J. California Cooper

J. California Cooper

J. California Cooper is an African American playwright and author.Alice Walker has said that "Her style is deceptively simple and direct and the vale of tears in which her characters reside is never so deep that a rich chuckle at a foolish person's foolishness cannot be heard."-Bibliography:* 1984:...

, Paulo Cuelo, Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life...

, James Baldwin

James Baldwin (writer)

James Arthur Baldwin was an American novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic.Baldwin's essays, for instance "Notes of a Native Son" , explore palpable yet unspoken intricacies of racial, sexual, and class distinctions in Western societies, most notably in mid-20th century America,...

 and Patricia Williams. Abby has established herself primarily as a solo artist, but also performs with Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber

Burnt Sugar

Burnt Sugar, also known as Burnt Sugar, The Arkestra Chamber, is an American improvisational band. The band's music combines the influences of funk, jazz, rock, reggae, soul, hip hop, heavy metal, and 20th century classical music. It has been described by one critic as a...

http://www.burntsugarindex.com, a New York–based twenty-plus member ensemble led by Greg Tate (Village Voice) known for improvisatory orchestral performances that mash up all manner of vocal, instrumental and electronic music.

Music Credits

Abby's credits include working with established artists such as Kanye West

Kanye West

Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...

 and Talib Kweli

Talib Kweli

Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...

. Her background vocals were featured on Kweli's 2004 release entitled "Quality," on the single 'Get By,' which was produced by Kanye West.
She also toured with Kweli throughout North America and Europe in 2005. Other artists Abby has either recorded or performed with include John Legend

John Legend

John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...

, Consequence

Consequence (rapper)

Dexter Mills , better known as Consequence, is an American rapper. He is the cousin of rapper Q-Tip of the hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, and was formerly an affiliate of Kanye West's GOOD Music family. Consequence debuted in 1996 on A Tribe Called Quest's album Beats, Rhymes, and Life...

, Jaguar Wright

Jaguar Wright

Jaguar Wright is a soul/R&B vocalist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is part of the Okayplayer collective. She has performed along rap acts such as The Roots, Jay-Z, and Blackalicious.-Career:...

, Jazzyfatnastees

Jazzyfatnastees

Jazzyfatnastees is a vocal duo, Tracey Moore and Mercedes Martinez . Originally, a vocal quartet, they landed a deal with Tommy Boy in 1993...

, Dwele

Dwele

Andwele Gardner , better known by his stage name Dwele is a soul singer, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:...

, Urban Mystic

Urban Mystic

Brandon Williams , better known by his stage name Urban Mystic is an American R&B singer. The son of a minister, Urban Mystic had a Billboard R&B hit with both the KayGee Produced single "Where Were You", Marcellus "Handz Down" Dawson produced "It's You" and the Scott Storch produced "I Refuse", in...

, Shawn Kane http://www.giantstep.net/artists/538, Ledisi

Ledisi

Ledisi Anibade Young is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Her first name means "to bring forth" or "to come here" in Yoruba. Ledisi is known for her jazz influenced vocals. In 1995, Ledisi formed the group known as Anibade. After unsuccessfully trying to get the group signed to a major...

, Kindred The Family Soul http://www.kindredthefamilysoul.com, Chrisette Michele

Chrisette Michele

Chrisette Michele Payne , known professionally as Chrisette Michele, is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter....

 and Leela James

Leela James

Leela James is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter. James cites singers James Brown, Roberta Flack, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, and Stevie Wonder as her influences...

.

Abby also released an EP titled, "Soul Stories" in 2004, and is currently recording her official independent debut album to be released on October 5, 2010. This recording project, titled, “Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On," is recorded live to analog tape primarily at the lengendary studio, Sear Sound. The album features many accomplished recording, touring and session musicians including: Shelton Garner, Christian Ver Halen, Robert Glasper, Nate Jones, Wes Mingus, Gerald Menke, Marvin Sewell, Lonnie Plaxico, Lafayette Harris Jr. and Mary Wooten.

Collaborations

Apart from her solo work, Abby has collaborated with Christian Ver Halen and H20 Productions. She is a featured vocalist/songwriter on "The Rooftop: A Live Shot" and "While U Wait".

Performances

Abby performs frequently in New York City and the Northeast. She has been featured many times in the showcase Black Lily Jam Sessions http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A960185, known for breaking raw & rootsy once-underground artists. She has performed at both contemporary and music venues such as:

SOBs http://www.sobs.com

The Blue Note

Blue Note (jazz clubs)

The Blue Note is a jazz club and restaurant located at in Greenwich Village, New York City. Opened in 1981 by owner and founder Danny Bensusan, the club is now considered one of the world's most famous jazz venues...

The Cutting Room http://www.thecuttingroomnyc.com

Nuyorican Poets Café

Nuyorican Poets Café

The Nuyorican Poets Café is a non-profit organization in Alphabet City, Manhattan. It is a bastion of the Nuyorican art movement in New York City, USA, and has become a forum for poetry, music, hip hop, video, visual arts, comedy and theatre.-History:...

Sugar Bar http://www.sugarbarnyc.com

The Village Underground http://www.thevillageunderground.com

The Williamsburg Music Center http://www.wmcjazz.org/

The Knitting Factory

Knitting Factory

The Knitting Factory is a music venue and concert house with locations in Brooklyn, Boise, Reno, and Spokane. The club originally specialized in jazz and experimental music and has expanded to showcasing all genres of music, performing arts and comedy....

Wetlands

Joe’s Pub http://www.joespub.com

The Bitter End

The Bitter End

The Bitter End is a nightclub in New York City's Greenwich Village. It opened its doors in 1961 at 147 Bleecker Street under the auspices of owner Fred Weintraub. The club changed its name to The Other End during the 1970s...

Symphony Space

Symphony Space

Symphony Space is a multi-disciplinary performing arts organization at 2537 Broadway on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Performances take place in the 760-seat Peter Jay Sharp Theatre or the 160-seat Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater. Programs include music, dance, theater, film, and literary readings...

Jimmy’s Uptown 

South Street Seaport

South Street Seaport

The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is a designated historic district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District...

TV Licensing Credits

Her song "Deeply" has been featured on TV shows such as “The Shield”http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/the_shield/main.html on the FX Channel, “Any Day Now”http://www.mylifetime.com/lrw/shows/anyday.html on the Lifetime Network, and “Jack & Jill”http://www.warnerbros.co.uk/television/jackandjill/index.html on the WB Network.

Influences

Aside from books and authors, Abby cites such musicians as Donny Hathaway

Donny Hathaway

Donny Edward Hathaway was an American soul singer-songwriter and musician. Hathaway contracted with Atlantic Records in 1969 and with his first single for the Atco label, "The Ghetto, Part I" in early 1970, Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music."His collaborations...

, Bill Withers

Bill Withers

William Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands"...

, Billy Holiday, Sarah Vaughn

Sarah Vaughan

Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...

, Tracy Chapman

Tracy Chapman

Tracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her singles "Fast Car", "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Give Me One Reason" and "Telling Stories". She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.-Biography:Tracy Chapman was born in Cleveland,...

, Bob Marley, Barbara Hendricks

Barbara Hendricks

Barbara Hendricks is an African American operatic soprano and concert singer. Hendricks has lived in Europe since 1977, and in Switzerland on Lake Geneva since 1985, She is a citizen of Sweden.-Early life and education:...

, Jessye Norman

Jessye Norman

Jessye Norman is an American opera singer. Norman is a well-known contemporary opera singer and recitalist, and is one of the highest paid performers in classical music...

, Leontyne Price

Leontyne Price

Mary Violet Leontyne Price is an American soprano. Born and raised in the Deep South, she rose to international acclaim in the 1950s and 1960s, and was one of the first African Americans to become a leading artist at the Metropolitan Opera.One critic characterized Price's voice as "vibrant",...

, Sweet Honey in the Rock

Sweet Honey in the Rock

Sweet Honey in the Rock is an all-woman, African-American a cappella ensemble. They are an American Grammy Award-winning troupe who express their history as women of color through song, while entertaining their audience. They have together worked from four women to the difficult five-part harmony...

, Barbra Streisand, Donna Summer, Dolly Parton, Martina McBride

Martina McBride

Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....

, Anita Baker, Alison Krauss

Alison Krauss

Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in...

, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and Public Enemy to have influenced her as an artist.

Accolades

Abby has an extensive history of receiving awards and honors for her musical talents.

In 1996, Abby won the infamous Amateur Night competition on Showtime at the Apollo.

In 2001, she won the E.A.R.S. Talent Competition http://www.earsentertainmentgroup.com/talent.htm, as well as the BMI Atlanta 2002 Urban Music Showcase http://www.bmi.com/press/entry/534708.

In 2003, she received a Billboard Songwriting Competition Honorable Mention http://www.billboardsongcontest.com in the Lyrics category for her song,“Unconditionally.” She also won the Absolute Jam R&B competition held at Zanzibar. She was a National Finalists of the SoulCityCafe Music Quest competition http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Nov_5/ai_93980833 sponsored by pop artist Jewel

Jewel (singer)

Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...

 (Atlantic Records) and SoulCityCafe.com.

In 2005, Abby received the ASCAP R&B Songwriting award for her song titled, “4 The Love.”

Community Relations

Abby has performed for various fund raising events for the Bronx Community College

Bronx Community College

The Bronx Community College of The City University of New York is a community college in the City University of New York system located in the University Heights neighborhood of The Bronx.- History :...

 Upward Bound program, Music of Choice for Youth Benefit Performance, Better Youth http://www.betteryouth.org organization, LifeBeat’s http://www.lifebeat.org Heart and Voices, the Ronald McDonald House

Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charities is an independent 501c3 organization whose mission is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children across the world...

for Children with Cancer foundation, and the L.E.S. Girls Club.