"The role of an artist is to raise the bar. I think you can be creative and still be relevant," replies artist, Shannone Holt, who as the product of a doo-wop singer turned pastor would belt santified tunes, causing elder church folk to shout and hum in approval, before she could even mouth her ABCs.

 

 

And in ways strikingly similar to classic story tellers like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald and Bob Marley, singer, songwriter, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist Shannone Holt, or Shae, as her family calls her, has long been pulled by a soul-force channeling everyday nuances into melodies.  Give her a label and watch her dance around convention. Give her a stage and watch humanity unfold.

 

 

Fusing the foot-stomping fervor of the black church, southern wit, and the raw energy of hip hop, Shannone’s sonic gumbo contains seasonings of Gospel, Jazz, The Blues, African Rhythms, Reggae, Hip-Hop, R&B, Classic Soul, Pop, Folk Music, and even Opera. 

 

 

Talent has a way of making room for it self.  The confident, free spirit has managed to keep her lights on, with her integrity in tact, gigging across the country with her piano and guitar on college campuses and small venues, and working with the saxophonist and producer, Teodross Avery. Sharing Holt's independent spirit and classic nurturing, Avery, a product of the Berklee School of Music, has collaborated with everyone from Lauryn Hill to Shakira. 

 

 

A product of Nashville, Tennessee, Shannone shares the same southern pedigree of many soul luminaries. Her spiritual grounding and artistic training came not only from her father’s church, but also the prodding of her mother who taught her classical piano at age 6, and arranged violin lessons at age 8. But despite her classical training, Holt often veered from tradition as the humor and lyrical depth of The Notorious Big and Nas, as well as ciphers on the corners of Brooklyn, began to mold her musical sensibility.  “I really began to embrace hip-hop when I was living with my father in Brooklyn throughout various stages of my life.  There was just something about listening to Pac, Biggie, Nas, and Wu-tang, in my headphones that made me feel invincible. I would memorize and recite the lyrics while sitting on the terrace. I just fell in love with it,” says Holt.

 

 

Longtime entertainment industry veteran Kevin Powell (former senior writer for Vibe, cast member on the inaugural season of MTV's "The Real World"; author; and noted political and cultural commentator and social activist) found his musical muse stumbling into Shannone Holt in 2004. While Powell and his production team were auditioning talent for another artist, Shannone's commanding presence and vocal intensity took center stage. "She was not even on the list of folks who we had booked for the audition. She just came, and she blew us away. A few months later, when the situation with the first singer fell apart, we asked Shannone if she would consider being the first artist we’d introduce on True York Entertainment. She immediately said yes and we started working on The Shannone Holt EP,” states Powell.

 

 

Blessed with vocal chops ranging from Whitney Houston’s towering crescendos to Toni Braxton’s sexy, full bodied alto, Shannone’s classic delivery and debut release redefines contemporary American music. The Shannone Holt EP, released in 2005 and produced by True York Entertainment’s in-house production team, illustrates Shannone’s unique ability to merge progressive production with emotional depth.

 

 

Abandoning the clichéd formula of radio friendly ballads, “Manny” is a vulnerable plea dripping with do-right women finesse as a star crossed lover attempts to reconcile love’s bitter truths. This heart wrenching masterpiece just may propel her to legend status. The roots/reggae tinged “Infinite Love” cleverly personifies heart strings as instruments and is sure to induce Island chants. 

 

 

In keeping with her social conscience influenced by freedom fighters including Malcolm X, three of the EP’s selections were written for “NO!, The Rape Documentary,” an upcoming feature length documentary unveiling the reality of rape, other forms of sexual violence and healing in African American communities, produced, written, directed by Aishah Shahidah Simmons. The haunting title track “NO!” cries out against the violation of women’s bodies. Borrowing moral fiber and inspiration from Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ In The Wind,” the acoustic anthem “One Nation Undet” examines gender politics and racial inequality.  The operatic spiritual, “Look What They Done Done,” is a vivid account of lynching similar to the haunting tone of Billie Holiday’s staple “Strange Fruit.” Her song, “Respect Me,” initially intended for the documentary, also, was instead used in the independent film, “American Gun” starring Forest Whitaker.   

 

"I think it's so important for artists to grow constantly and stretch their experimental selves," Shannone says when asked about where she is now with her career. "I'm so excited about everything that's happening for me right now. I've taken up the bass guitar, and I'm just overjoyed to be able to express myself yet another way for my next project." Shannone has begun writing songs for her first full length album. She laughes when prodded about what the first completed song, bluesy, "Drunken Man" is about.  "It's actually about an emotionally and mentally unstable man, which really isn't funny, and it wasn't funny when I was dealing with it. But, I thought I would tell it in a funny way."  The high-powered "HellYouGoin'" is a cleverly penned funk-inspired anthem for women who are tired of dealing with lying men, which Shannone promies is not a man-hating tune. She also introduces a more vulnerable side in her auto-biographical "Glasshouse," which she explains, sums up her upbringing. "The major difference between the full-length album and the EP would have to be that I'm not being told what to write this time. I haven't received any suggestions in terms of what styles or genres I should be going after, and I'm able to put 150% of myself into this project without compromising my artist whims and that's priceless!"   

 

 

With cultural productions dedicated to building legacy, Shannone’s aspirations stretch beyond music into the worlds of film, television and fashion, making her the next American tradition of multimedia and multitalented female artists like Lena Horne, Cher, Diana Ross, and Barbara Streisand before her. She is currently working with the legendary Bill Lee (Mo’ Better Blues), penning songs for the upcoming feature film, “The Butterfly Chasers,” in which she was cast as quirky musician Reign Regan. Her character will be performing those songs live in the film and they will also appear on the soundtrack.

 

- Ed Garnes/Nadine Abram