Jenny Douglas
Jenny Dawn Douglas, a singer-performer, was born March 3, 1957 in
Chicago, the daughter of Ella Louise Douglas.
During her
career, Jenny has worked with a plethora of artists from very
diverse music genres. Stars such as; P!nk, Rob Thomas, Cher, Janet
Jackson, Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz, Moby, Donny Osmond, John
Mellencamp, Joe Cocker, Enrique Iglesias, Patti Labelle, Nona
Hendryx, Patty Austin, Glenn Lewis, Joey McIntyre, Elton John, Tina
Turner, Madonna, Snoop Dogg, and has performed steadily with Toto
since 1990. Born in Chicago, raised in Lexington, KY, Jenny, as
legend has it, began to sing before she learned to talk.
Her mother, Ella Louise Douglas, was the fire that sparked
within Jenny the joy of exploring music. Jenny and her three younger
brothers were swept up in their mother’s love of music, even though
Jenny was the only one to embark on a professional music career.
It was the adoration of her mother’s voice that would inspire
Jenny, and also terrify her. Jenny’s idolization of her mother had a
boomerang effect, as it also incapacitated her with extreme stage
fright whenever in her presence.
“My mother’s beautiful voice overwhelmed me, it would mesmerize
me and paralyze me.”
How did she get over this phobia? At the age
of 13, the finalist in a beauty pageant, Jenny was to sing her song
for the talent component of the competition. However, upon spying
her mother in the audience, she could only utter two syllables
before freezing in terror, and dashing off the stage in shame. It
was at that time she decided to muster all of her strength and over
come this debilitating fear.
By the age of 14, Ms Douglas made her first recording of Gospel
music inspired by her first mentor, Richard Green. Their group was
named after him, being known as the Green Singers.
From the age of nine all the way to college, Jenny took lessons
in clarinet, but she never had singing lessons until reaching
college.
Jenny began working in musical theatre in the Lexington House
Players. She attended Morehead State University, where she majored
in theatre and communication and minored in music. Mid-way she
transferred to Wright State University in Ohio. There, Jenny joined
the rock group, “Dayton”, a post-disco funk band, as the lead singer
and only female in which they produced two albums, “Dayton” and
“Cutie Pie”.
Jenny’s life took another interesting turn when Sandra
Reaves-Phillips, with her troupe of actors, arrived in town with
their truck-and-bus show and set up auditions for local performers
for "When Mahalia Sings", the biographical musical on the life of
Mahalia Jackson.
Jenny had no intention of auditioning, but she accompanied a
friend who was. While there, she learned one of the parts, being one
of the few people there who could read music, and began singing. The
show’s producers were under the false impression that she was
someone else, who had received a call-back. After singing for them,
and then clarifying the mix-up, she was unexpectedly hired. From
this unforeseen success, and with the urging of supportive friends,
she was convinced to move to New York. Within four days of arriving
she was hired for her first gig. And as Jenny says, “I’ve been
working ever since.”
Jenny went straight into cabaret work performing in many
different clubs, for example the Harlem landmark, Small’s Paradise
and Greene Street Café. In addition, she worked on an Aerobics DVD
singing popular music re-arranged for aerobic workouts. Jenny, still
succeeding in the acting component of her career, was the understudy
for the lead, and performed as the lead for two performances per
week, in the play, “The River”.
Because of this, she performed in
the Off-Broadway showcase, “Waiting in the Wings” in which
understudies are given their chance to star. She was one of the four
actors chosen for that year’s performance.
However, Jenny’s career took a more dramatic turn towards music
when she performed with R&B singer Meli'sa Morgan on her debut
album, of her cover of Prince’s, “Do Me Baby”. They also opened for
Billy Ocean on 48 city tour. This lead to her touring with Keith
Sweat, another R&B performer, accompanying him on his final tour.
At this point, unlike everyone else in her industry, Jenny never
needed an agent. The plentiful work kept pouring in on its own.
However Nona Hendryx’s manager, Vicki Wickham, watched her
performance and put her into contact with a whole new avenue of
opportunity.
Working first with Mick Jagger and then on Donny Osmond’s
comeback tour, “Soldier of Love”, in which Jenny was featured. And
from there things really took off, and the rest, as they say, is
history. The list of artists are as diverse as the genres they
represent.
For nine years she toured the world with super group
Toto. On the opposite extreme, Jenny performed and toured with John
Mellencamp In 1991 and then in 1998 she toured with Joe Cocker. Also
during this time she worked with Taylor Dayne, Madonna and R&B
artist, Glen Lewis.
In 2001, Jenny performed with Janet Jackson on her HBO Special
in Hawaii. Six years she worked with Patti Austin, in addition to
Joey McIntyre from New Kids on the Block, and Enrique Iglesias.
Other performers she has been featured with was Rob Thomas, lead
singer of Matchbox Twenty, on his PBS Special, “Live at Red Rock.”
Jenny also sang back-up with Tina Turner and Elton John.
In 2008, Jenny worked for three years with Cher on her Farewell
Tour.
Jenny first stated dating her husband, composer, producer and
bassist, Gary Foote in 2004. The couple tied the knot in a ceremony
with family and friends on the 28th February 2010 at Caesars Palace,
where she was performing with Cher.
Since 2006 she has performed with P!nk in the “I’m Not Dead”
Tour, “The Funhouse” Tour and “The Carnival” Tour. She worked with
Lenny Kravitz opening for U2 in the Stadium Tours playing before
crowds of over 60,000 in San Francisco, twice in Anaheim and in
Seattle.
Since 2004 she has been an active member for the non-profit
Broadway International Voices doing concerts for charity and touring
children’s hospitals.
Working now in production with husband Gary
Foote, she also lectures in major universities throughout the
country on how to succeed as a professional in the world of music
and performing.
Jenny Douglas, continues her life of giving, through her
performances, her charity work and speaking engagements. Ever on the
go, she still hears her mother’s voice in the background, always
urging her onward, to aspire for more and to inspire whoever she
sings for.
Any contributions will be
gratefully accepted
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