On the Inside

The definition of sophistication comes in the embodiment of the versatile vocalist, FREDA PAYNE. An accomplished and internationally acclaimed chanteuse whose musical tastes span a musical range from Miles David to Motown, equally at home performing with a symphony orchestra or an intimate jazz trio. Her multi-faceted career spans over 4 decades and includes Broadway, concert, TV and movies. Freda started her career by singing radio commercial jingles in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. This quickly caught the attention of music executives and other artists. At the age of 17, the legendary Pearl Bailey gave Freda her first professional job and this paved the way for her to share the stage with other legends that have included Lionel Hampton, Sammy Davis, Jr., Billy Eckstein, Quincy Jones, Bill Cosby and many others. The young protégé of Quincy Jones during his big band era, Freda toured with him performing at theatres that included the world famous Apollo in New York City and the Regal in Chicago. Soon after, she recorded her first album “When the Lights Go Down” for Impulse Records, which is now available on CD. Of all the music styles that Freda has the ability to perform, her favorite is Jazz. In a recent article she stated, “Ella [Fitzgerald], Sarah [Vaughan] and Billie [Holiday] are the greatest. Those ladies were the divas of their day—each had the unique gift of interpreting the best songs from an incredible era with their own inimitable styles…” Freda’s link with some hometown friends proved to be very fruitful. Brothers Brian & Eddie Holland and Lamont Dozier (Holland-Dozier-Holland) were responsible for putting Motown music firmly on the map by writing and producing million sellers for acts that included the Four Tops, Martha & The Vandellas and the Supremes—whose last lead singer is Freda’s sister Scherrie—also blessed with an incredible vocal talent. Holland-Dozier-Holland’s newly formed Invictus Records provided Freda with 2 million selling singles – “Bring The Boys Home” and “Band of Gold” plus “Deeper and Deeper”, “Cherish (What’s Dear To You)”, and “You Brought The Joy”. Freda then moved to ABC and later Capitol Records, releasing the albums “Payne & Pleasure”, “Out Of Payne Comes Love”, “Stares & Whispers”, “Supernatural High” and “Red Hot”. 1993 saw the release of her critically acclaimed album “An Evening With Freda Payne” that perfectly showcases her incredible talents an incomparable jazz styling. Freda was nominated for a Grammy for ” Band of Gold for best female vocalist for R&B and again for her album “Contact”. Freda’s ever expanding repertoire includes roles in the award winning musical “Blues In The Night” and “Jelly’s Last Jam” – a musical based on the life of jazz legend Jelly Role Morton. In the review for “Blues In The Night” the American showbiz daily VARIETY stated, “Freda Payne has a truly unique voice that hits an amazing number of notes with a smoky, unusual quality…” Additionally, Freda has starred in the Broadway production of Duke Ellington’s “Sophisticated Ladies”, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and the Tony Award™ winning production of “Hallelujah Baby”. Some other recent plays Freda has been in are “A Change is Gonna Come” & “ The Divorce” both written and directed by Donald Welch. Freda can be heard in the film “City Teachers” which has the track “Welcome To the Human Race” from her On the Inside CD Release and she is starring in the film “Cordially Invited”. Freda is currently on road touring her “Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald in Concert”