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AverySunshine
AverySunshine in 2016
AverySunshine in 2016
Background information
Birth nameDenise Nicole White
Born (1975-05-22) May 22, 1975 (age 49)
Chester, Pennsylvania
GenresR&B, soul
OccupationsSinger, songwriter
InstrumentsPiano, vocals
Years active1993–present
LabelsBigShine, Shanachie
Websiteaverysunshine.com

Denise Nicole White (born May 22, 1975),[1] known professionally as AverySunshine,[2] is an American singer, songwriter and pianist.[3]

Early life and education

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White was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, to Ruth Eleanor White and Irving Cyril White. She began playing piano at 8, after she saw a classmate perform, and learned to read hymns before beginning to study classical music at 11. At 13, she expanded her repertoire to include jazz and had her first recital.[4] Three years later, her aunt, a church choir director, asked Sunshine to fill in for her during a Sunday service at a Catholic church; she was subsequently hired by churches of all denominations, including the AME Church, where she performed with the award-winning Wilmington/Chester Mass Choir.[5][6]

White, who sang in her high school choir, graduated from the Country Day School of the Sacred Heart in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, in 1993. She attended Spelman College in Atlanta,[7] and although she enrolled as a piano major, she changed course after she became disillusioned with the music program. Sunshine graduated with a degree in philosophy in 1998.[8]

Career

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AverySunshine live at the "Leverkusener Jazztage" in Germany, 2015

In college, White met Maia Nkenge Wilson, a vocal major, and together they formed a gospel and R&B singing duo, DaisyRew.[6][9] In addition to performing in Africa, DaisyRew performed at churches in the area and at clubs, including the Apache Café, which was noted for launching the careers of several prominent artists, including India.Arie. Wilson was cast in a Broadway role following college, and Sunshine was hired as the Minister of Music at the St. Paul AME Church in Atlanta. DaisyRew continued to perform when Wilson, on breaks from her theatrical career in New York, returned to Atlanta.[10]

While working at the St. Paul AME Church, White met Dana Johnson, a guitarist, producer and songwriter who had previously worked with India.Arie.[11] White, Johnson and Wilson began working together in 2003 with Johnson writing and producing the music, in addition to managing DaisyRew's career.[12] Soon after, Wilson was again cast in a Broadway production and she left for New York. White then adopted the name AverySunshine. Her stage name is derived from the characters Shug Avery from The Color Purple and Sunshine from Harlem Nights.[6]

In 2005, White and Johnson recorded "Stalker", a neo soul song, which a friend, Chris Brann, set to a house beat. The track became a dance hit on a Japanese record label, which led to a series of live dates in Japan.[13]

White and Johnson began work on what became AverySunshine's self-titled first album, released in 2010 on their own label, BigShine. Recorded mainly at White's home with ProTools, the record included guest appearances by the pianist Takana Miyamoto, the vibraphone player Roy Ayers and Christian McBride.[14][15] The record was praised by the media, with USA Today calling it "refreshingly original"[16] and The Washington Post describing it as "a radiant brand of soul".[17] White — a single mother of two – focused on AverySunshine, but also accepted jobs as a keyboard player with artists including Tyler Perry and Jennifer Holliday and worked as a choral director for Atlanta performances by artists such as Michael Bublé, Anthony Hamilton and David Foster.[18] From 2010 until late 2013, AverySunshine toured consistently, and developed a following throughout the United States,[19] the UK,[20] Europe and Africa.[21] They began recording a second album, The Sunroom, in November 2013, which was released in May 2014 through a partnership with Shanachie Records.[22] In 2017, she released her third album, Twenty Sixty Four.

Personal life

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White lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Divorced in 2008, she is the mother of two children, a daughter, Drew, and a son, Evan. On April 3, 2016, White married her guitarist Dana Johnson.[13][23]

Awards

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Discography

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Albums

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  • AverySunshine (2010, BigShine)
  • The SunRoom (2014, BigShine, Shanachie)
  • Twenty Sixty Four (2017, BigShine, Shanachie)
  • So Glad to Know You (2024, BigShine)

Singles

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  • "Stalker" (2005)
  • "Ugly Part of Me" (2010)[25]
  • "Call My Name" (2014)[26]
  • "Sweet Afternoon" (2015)
  • "Never Knew Christmas" (2015)
  • "Come Do Nothing" (2016)
  • "Heaven Is Right Here" (2017)

References

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  1. ^ Brown, Tony. "Happy Birthday Shirley Murdock, Donell Jones, Johnny Gill, Leela James, Vivian Green, and Avery Sunshine!". wdasfm.iheart.com. iHeartMedia, Inc. Archived from the original on May 13, 2016. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  2. ^ Nero, Mark Edward. "Avery Sunshine Biography". about.com. About Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  3. ^ Grimes, William. "Get. Arts. Fast". New York Times. Archived from the original on April 10, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  4. ^ Stanton, Monica. "R&B Vocalist Avery Sunshine: Everybody Loves the Sunshine". Agenda. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
    - Valeris, Monique. "5 Questions with R&B Singer Avery*Sunshine". Essence. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  5. ^ Lewis, Pete. "AVERY SUNSHINE: SUNNY DELIGHT!". Blues and Soul. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  6. ^ a b c d Hill, Chanel. "Successful Chester singer Sunshine comes home". Philadelphia Tribune. Archived from the original on March 17, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  7. ^ Scott, Rose. "Music is Life, Avery Sunshine Sings It Her Way". NPR (WABE). Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  8. ^ "How Sweet the Sound: Spelman's Musical Superstars". Inside Spelman. Spelman College. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
    - Hunter, Samantha. "Avery Sunshine On Working With Tyler Perry, Being An Indie Artist, And Being Happy Where You Are". VH1. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  9. ^ Nero, Mark Edward. "Who is Avery*Sunshine?". About.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  10. ^ Gayle, Darryl. "Successful Chester singer Sunshine comes home". Philadelphia Tribune. Archived from the original on March 17, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  11. ^ "Jazzanooga 2014: Gregory Porter and Avery*Sunshine". Chattanooga Onstage. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  12. ^ Rys, Dan. "Avery*Sunshine Builds Her Social Network Base Onstage and Off". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  13. ^ a b Emerson, Bo. "Avery Sunshine brings warmth in new CD". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  14. ^ BET Sound Off Staff. "SoundOff Spotlight: Avery Sunshine". Archived from the original on July 4, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  15. ^ Nathan, David. "AVERY SUNSHINE 2010 SOULMUSIC.COM INTERVIEW". Soul Music. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  16. ^ Laykin, Cerraeh. "The Playlist". USA Today. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  17. ^ Malitz, David. "Nightlife Agenda". Washington Post. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
    - Gipson, L. Michael (July 20, 2010). "Avery*Sunshine Review". Soul Tracks. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
    - E Christopher J. "Avery*Sunshine Brightens Us With EP and Album". Soulified. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  18. ^ Garnes, Edward. "Avery Sunshine: Heaven only knows". Creative Loafing. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
    - ChirlGirl. "On Air @ChirlGirl : Who Is AVERY SUNSHINE". V101.9 (CBS local). Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  19. ^ Johnson, Chevel. "AVERY*SUNSHINE SET FOR ESSENCE FESTIVAL DEBUT". Associated Press. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  20. ^ Patterson, Joseph. "AVERY SUNSHINE & ANTHONY DAVID: THE INTERVIEW!". MTV (UK). Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  21. ^ Bernard, Adam. "Sound Check: Avery*Sunshine – Real Life". Soul Train. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  22. ^ Williams, Stereo (August 14, 2013). "Avery Sunshine: Singer-keyboardist radiates with a presence as warm as her name". Rolling Out. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
    - Miers, Jeff. "Avery*Sunshine brings positive vibrations to the Tralf Music Hall on Saturday". Buffalo News. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  23. ^ McGloster, Niki. "Vixen Initiation: Avery Sunshine Discusses The Downside Of Rising Artistry And The Double-Edged Sword Of Soul". Vibe. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  24. ^ Barbour, Shannon (April 8, 2011). "Don't be fooled by Avery*Sunshine's name, she's more than a cheery girl". Creative Loafing ATL. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  25. ^ "Avery Sunshine". All Music Guide. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  26. ^ Augustin, Camille (April 25, 2014). "New Music: Avery Sunshine 'Call My Name'". Vibe. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
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