Rita Graham's career was jump-started, when Ray Charles produced an album of lush standards for her, ‘Rita Graham Vibrations'(TRC-1507). This album is the only major project that Ray Charles, personally, produced for a single female artist on his own Tangerine Record label. Rita is the lead vocalist on the United Kingdom northern soul hit, ‘Gone With The Wind Is My Love', by Rita and The Tiaras. After a stint as a Ray Charles Raelette, she was featured vocalist with the Harry James Orchestra. For three years, while recording single records that were produced by TV composer, Mike Post. She was featured vocalist with Mercer Ellington and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and she opened for jazz great, Oscar Peterson and legendary comedian, Redd Foxx. For 10 years, Rita's trio was the Sunday night band at Atlanta's premiere supper club, Sambuca Jazz Café. She was also featured with the Atlanta Swing Orchestra and J.R.'s Big Band Express. Originated role of Coretta Scott King, in the joyous civil rights docu-musical, ‘Selma' in several theaters—the Los Angeles Inner-City Theater; Hollywood's Huntington Hartford Theater, produced by Redd Foxx Productions; and Off-Broadway at Woodie King's New Federal Theater. Rita has the female lead role in the fall 2013 release of the blues musical, ‘We Are Kings'. Rita was honored as the Legendary Lady of Jazz by Black Women in Jazz & Fine Arts Awards in Atlanta, on May 2, 2014. www.wijsf.org
↧