Wanda Houston

Last updated
Wanda Houston
Birth nameWanda Lynn Houston [1]
Born Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Origin Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years activelate 1990s–present

Wanda Houston is an American singer and actress.

Biography

Houston is originally from Chicago, Illinois. [2] [3] She started singing in gospel choirs of West Side, Chicago. [2] She was born to John and Bessie, the oldest of four. [2] [4] Houston comes from a creative family. [4] Her father was an actor, and her mother was both an actress and a singer. [4] [2] Her father ran a theatre company. [2] Houston studied chemistry in college, but eventually switched to music, getting her degree in music with a focus on opera. [2] [4] After college she ended up in Los Angeles, spending two decades there. [4] At this time, Houston starred in some Hollywood films, and went on to sing at the Sands in Las Vegas. [2] [4] After Los Angeles she moved to Australia while touring with Sisterella . [4] [2] She spent a year in Australia, and considered staying there forever. [4] [2]

Contents

In the 2000s, Houston toured with Martha and the Vandellas and The Platters. [2] She lived and performed throughout the United States, Australia and Europe. [5] [3] In 2001 [2] she settled in the Berkshires, and now she performs chiefly in New England. [5] In the Berkshires she is considered a diva. [2] Her current group plays "a mix of mid-20th century jazz and rhythm-and-blues". [6] [3]

In February 2021 she sang the sorrow songs of W. E. B. Du Bois at the 2021 Du Bois Legacy Festival, commemorating the civil rights activist's 153rd birthday. [7] [8] Her own parents were deeply involved in the civil rights movement. [2] She performed at the BarnArts Masquerade Jazz and Funk Winter Music Carnival on more than one occasion. [9]

Houston collaborated with American progressive rock band Spock's Beard on two occasions. [10] [11] She was a featured artist on the dance single "Unity" by John Rizzo, also featuring Lisa Hunt. [12] The song peaked at number 27 on the United States Billboard Dance Club Songs. [12]

Acting career

While in Los Angeles, she starred in a few Hollywood films, including The Christmas Path, also starring Shia LaBeouf. [4] [13] Houston starred in an off-Broadway play called "A Good Swift Kick", [2] which premiered in July 1999. [14] The play wasn't warmly received. [2] However, The New York Times praised Houston's performance, calling it fantastic. [14] [2] [4] [15] In 2005 she debuted at Broadway, in a A Streetcar Named Desire , alongside John C. Reilly and Natasha Richardson. [16] [2] Show director Edward Hall expanded Houston's role ("The Negro Woman") in this version. [4] Houston toured the world with Sisterella , a show produced by Michael Jackson where she played one of the wicked stepsisters. [4] [17] [18] In 2006 she performed Ain't Misbehavin' at the Sharon Playhouse. [4]

Personal life

Houston stated that her favorite jazz song is "Nature Boy", her favorite R&B song is "Midnight Train to Georgia", and her favorite song to perform live is her group's version of "On and On". [6] Mahalia Jackson was her idol growing up. [2] [4]

Discography

Singles

List of singles as featured artist and year released
TitleYearPeak chart positionsCertificationAlbum
US
"Unity" [12]
(John Rizzo featuring Lisa Hunt and Wanda Houston)		200827Non-album single

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References

  1. ↑ "Wanda L. Houston - biography". IMDb. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Dworkin, Susan (27 August 2018). "The singer finds her voice: The evolution of Wanda Houston". Berkshire Edge. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Edelman, Emily (16 December 2020). "Bits & Bytes: Pink Martini livestream; Wanda Houston at Egremont Barn; 'Runnin' to Grace'; award for Wynn; winter help for families - Wanda Houston Band to perform at the Egremont Barn". Berkshire Edge. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Cassidy, Benjamin. "'Wanda World' takes root in Berkshires". The Berkshire Eagle. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  5. 1 2 "The Joe Belmont Experience with Wanda Houston". Boston.com . Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  6. 1 2 Cassidy, Benjamin (17 August 2018). "Playlist: We asked Wanda Houston, what's your favorite song?". The Berkshire Eagle. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  7. ↑ Landes, Josh (23 February 2021). "Great Barrington Celebrates Du Bois' 153rd Birthday". WAMC. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  8. ↑ Rogovoy, Seth (19 February 2021). "Rogovoy Report 2/19/21". WAMC. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "BarnArts 9th Annual Masquerade Jazz and Funk Winter Music Carnival". The Mountain Times (Vermont). 3 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  10. ↑ "Spock's Beard – Beware Of Darkness". Discogs. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  11. ↑ "Spock's Beard – The Light". Discogs. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  12. 1 2 3 "Unity John Rizzo Featuring Lisa Hunt & Wanda Houston". Billboard. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  13. ↑ "The Christmas Path (1998)". IMDb. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  14. 1 2 New York Times Theater Reviews (2001). The New York Times Theatre Reviews 1999-2000. Taylor & Francis. p. 28. ISBN   978-0-415-93697-2.
  15. ↑ Brantley, Ben (30 July 1999). "THEATER REVIEW; Taking Potshots the Entire Audience Can Grasp". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  16. ↑ Brantley, Ben (27 April 2005). "A Weak Erotic Charge Flickers in the New Orleans Heat". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  17. ↑ "The Latest on Sisterella". Playbill . Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  18. ↑ Sisterella. OCLC   79394474 . Retrieved 9 March 2021– via WorldCat.
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