Redd Velvet
Encyclopedia
Redd Velvet is an American blues and soul singer, best known for her unconventional entrance into the music industry .

Redd velvet was born in Omaha, Nebraska and grew up in Monroeville, Alabama, where she starting singing in church when she was six years old. Early experience singing gospel gave her a powerful , earthy voice compared to Gladys Knight and Mavis Staples. A local choral teacher , discovered her at age 13, singing in the school chorus .

During a visit to Memphis in May Redd met songwriter Earl Randall and legendary Hi Records producer Willie Mitchell. She relocated and launched her career from Memphis on their advice after they heard a demo of her cover of O.V Wright's "Searching" which had been penned by Randle himself. Upon her arrival in Memphis she founded Big Daddy's Baddass Band as her backing band and garnered the attention of the local blues community as the first African-American woman to lead a band in the Memphis Blues Challenge. She advanced to the finals of the 2010 competition and again made local blues history as the first African- American woman to lead a band to place in the band category by securing a second place win.

Redd Velvet recorded and released her first album "Womanhood 101" in December 2009 on the Banana Pudding Music label she founded when she refused to sign a conventional recording contract. She is most noted for her rebellion against conventional music industry practices. Redd Velvet has also been recognized for her work as both a registered nurse and social activist for causes such as domestic violence, women's rights, and child abuse. In 2010 Redd Velvet founded Music Heals Memphis, Inc., a non profit organization focused on providing health and social services for musicians, promoting racial harmony and the preservation of blues and soul music.

In March 2011 Redd Velvet became the first blueswoman to host her own radio talkshow. The show was created by MVP3 Entertainment to meet the public demand from loyal followers of her posts on a social networking site. The Little Redd Schoolhouse debuted on March 3, 2011 on WMQM a Memphis based radio station.

Redd Velvet has been nominated as "Best New Female Artist of The Year" for 2011 by the Jus' Blues Foundation.

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