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Freelon is the national spokesperson for the
National Association of Partners in Education, an organization with over 400,000 school and community partnership programs across the United States, dedicated to arts education. Freelon has maintained ties to her hospital-work as her jazz career has
164:, where she was raised. She has a brother Melvin and a sister named Debbie. As a young woman, she sang extensively in her community and the Union Baptist Church and at St. Paul AME. She recalled, "I started singing in the church, like so many others...." Nnenna graduated from
183:, whose records her parents played at home. "It's important to expose your children to a wide musical environment," she says. "I did something that my grandmother told me: 'Bloom where you're planted', 'don't get on a bus and go to New York or L.A., sing where you are'."
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was looking for a female singer. Ellis asked me for a package of materials. I had my little local press kit and my little tape with original music. Two years later, I was signed to
Columbia Records." She was in her late 30s when she made her debut CD,
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in 1990, teach young mothers and healthcare providers the importance of the human voice for healing and nurturing. She emphasizes the importance of parents singing to children to enhance brain development.
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in Boston with a degree in health care administration. For a while she worked for the Durham County
Hospital Corporation,
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and the founder of the website
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studying social media and politics. Daughter Maya
Freelon Asante is a visual artist.
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In 1990, Nnenna
Freelon went to the Southern Arts Federation's jazz meeting and met
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She suggests that her influences included several "not famous people" as well as
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Freelon was born
Chinyere Nnenna Pierce to Charles and Frances Pierce in
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Boston Globe – June 9, 2006, Freelon not afraid to voice individuality
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The
Profound, Introspective and Supremely Talented, Nnenna Freelon
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808:"Interview with Nnenna's husband, architect Philip G. Freelon"
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flourished. Her
Babysong workshops, which she started at
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Eubie Blake Award, Eubie Blake
National Jazz Institute
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artist, a Visiting Professor of Political Science at
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720:Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal
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1025:Billboard Chart History for Nnenna Freelon
148:singer, composer, producer, and arranger.
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1000:"I Want to Make Joy: Maya Freelon Asante"
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524:at The Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.
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144:(born July 28, 1954) is an American
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331:North Carolina Central University
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51:Chinyere Nnenna Pierce
41:Background information
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223:She has worked with
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924:: Nnenna Freelon"
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507:– Nnenna Freelon
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1008:. Retrieved
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950:"Blackspace"
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100:1992–present
96:Years active
1066:1954 births
373:Discography
261:Clark Terry
249:Diana Krall
237:Anita Baker
225:Ray Charles
197:Clark Terry
177:Nina Simone
1060:Categories
922:Piano Jazz
907:Boston.com
818:August 18,
791:References
764:Nominated
749:Nominated
729:Nominated
714:Nominated
694:Nominated
679:Nominated
392:Billboard
233:Al Jarreau
87:Occupation
62:1954-07-28
47:Birth name
780:AnceStars
653:Category
610:AnceStars
580:Christmas
505:Ooh Child
408:Columbia
158:Cambridge
82:Jazz, pop
1030:AllMusic
959:July 28,
888:July 28,
784:Pending
710:Soulcall
568:Homefree
530:Concord
474:Soulcall
450:Concord
420:Heritage
113:Columbia
928:NPR.org
841:Npr.org
659:Result
644:History
510:Gospel
327:hip hop
199:in 2006
123:Website
109:Concord
846:11 May
656:Title
433:Listen
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386:Genre
383:Title
345:, and
267:, and
187:Career
128:nnenna
105:Labels
90:Singer
79:Genres
74:, U.S.
984:5 May
650:Year
613:with
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527:Jazz
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380:Year
325:is a
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