Nnenna Freelon

Biography

Seven-time GRAMMY® Award nominee Nnenna Freelon is a compelling artist and captivating performer with numerous accolades and activities including another GRAMMY® Award nomination for 2021’s Time Traveler! With her son Pierce Freelon, they made Grammy history by being the first mother and son nominated for the 64th GRAMMY® awards in separate categories. Their collaborative new recording, “AnceStars” (2023), marks her first family music recording with Pierce. Nnenna’s new Podcast "Great Grief with Nnenna Freelon” garnered Ambie Awards in 2022 and 2021, her debut seasons. She received the 2022 Jazz Masters Award from the prestigious “Women’s Jazz and Blues Association of Palm Springs,” and more. In 2023, Nnenna continues to star alongside TAKE 6, Tom Scott, Kirk Whalum and Clint Holmes in the critically acclaimed show “Georgia on My Mind: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles,” where she is no stranger to the music of the master singer – she toured with Ray Charles, as well as many other greatest jazz artists including Al Jarreau, George Benson, Benny Golson, Ellis Marsalis, and others.

Nnenna is also a wife, mother, and sister who has experienced life's amazing gifts, and also its heartbreak. The loss of her soulmate and husband, renowned architect Phil Freelon, in 2019 to ALS, followed by the loss of her sister Debbie in 2020 to cancer, have reshaped her way of being in the world. Her recording ‘Time Traveler’ is a reflection of this new territory and an intimate expression of her love for Phil and their 40-year journey. Together “Great Grief with Nnenna Freelon” and ‘Time Traveler’ stand as a universal love letter to all who’ve lost someone dear.

In her ongoing efforts to foster community, the arts and education, Nnenna founded the NorthStar Church of the Arts in Durham. Such efforts to reach across diverse audiences follow such honors as The White House requesting Freelon to headline the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) for 300 Presidents, Premiers and Heads of State from around the world and the YWCA of North Carolina’s recognition of her outstanding artistry and dedication to education with their inaugural “Legend Award.”

As writer, composer and producer, Nnenna’s productions include the original theatrical presentation of The Clothesline Muse, a devised theatrical work of dance, music, spoken word, vibrant art and projections. She is also one of the stars of the musical theater piece. The play won a National Theater Project creation grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), a much sought after honor only awarded to six worthy recipients. This is not her first stint acting. Freelon made her feature film debut in “What Women Want” starring Mel Gibson.

In the company of other great artists, Nnenna triumphed in composer Laura Karpman’s undertaking of Langston Hughes’ “Ask Your Mama” at The Apollo Theater and at an astounding Hollywood Bowl concert with opera superstar Jessye Norman and the indie phenom band The Roots. She also wowed audiences at SRO shows at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival with the Duke Ellington inspired “Dreaming The Duke,” with classical star Harolyn Blackwell and pop-jazz-crossover pianist Mike Garson. Her TV appearances on In Performance at the White House, on ABC celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, led to the versatile songstress/composer having a featured song on the hit TV show Mad Men. That was followed by a new collaboration on tour with legendary guitarist Earl Klugh and with legendary pianist Ramsey Lewis.

Nnenna received from the National Association of Women In The Arts the “Youth Empowerment Through the Arts” Award and “Artist of the Year” Award. She was named a “Woman of Substance” by Bennett College for Woman, delivered the Keynote Address for the Arts Midwest Conference, and much more. Freelon is a winner of both the Billie Holiday Award from the prestigious Académie du Jazz and the Eubie Blake Award from the Cultural Crossroads Center in New York City.

Addiitonal Awards and Honors include…

2023 - RTDNA Regional Winner (Great Grief - 'Falling'), Excellence in Sound, Radio - Large Market
2022 - Grammy Award Nominee (Time Traveler), Best Jazz Vocal Album
2022 - Ambie Award Nominee (Great Grief), Best Original Score and Music Supervision
2022 - Ambie Award Nominee (Great Grief), Best Personal Growth / Spirituality Podcast
2022 – Induction into the North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame
2022 – Jazz Masters Award from Women In Jazz
2011 – President’s Selected Performance for World Dignitaries at the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC)
2010 – Women of Substance Award – Bennett College for Women (Greensboro, NC)
2007 – Spirit of Hayti Award (significant contribution to the arts and education)
2005 – Grammy Award Nominee (Blueprint Of A Lady), Best Jazz Vocal Album
2004 – “Women Of Note” – Raleigh, NC
2003 – Outstanding Artistry, “Airmen of Note”, United States Air Force Band
2001 – Trailblazer Award, International Women in Jazz
2001 – California Partner’s In Education Award
2001 – Durham Council for the Arts Walter J. Norflett Award – Artist of the Year
2001 – National Inventor’s Hall Of Fame – Artist Award
2000 – Grammy Award Nominee (Soulcall), Best Jazz Vocal Performance
2000 – Grammy Award Nominee (Soulcall), Best Jazz Arrangement w/Accompanying Vocal
1999 – “Lady of Soul” Nominee – Soul Train Awards

1999 – Honorary Doctor of Music, Elizabeth City State University
1998 – Grammy Award Nominee (Maiden Voyage), Best Jazz Vocal Performance
1996 – Grammy Award Nominee (Shaking Free), Best Jazz Vocal Performance
1996 – “Lady of Soul” Nominee – Soul Train Awards
1993 – “Indie Award”, Best Jazz Vocal
1993 – “Billie Holiday Award”, Academie du Jazz (France)
1993 – “Eubie Blake Award”, Cultural Crossroads Center
1992 – Grammy Award Nominee (Nnenna Freelon), Best Jazz Arrangement w/Accompanying Vocal

Appearances

Television PBS, Charlie Rose NBC, Weekend Today In Performance At The White House Grammy Awards Telecast Performance with Take 6 Chrysler Sebring ‘3 Faces’ Commercial Politically Correct with Bill Maher ABC, “Celebration of America’s Music” Hosted by Bill Cosby CBS, “Sunday Morning” Hosted by Dr. Billy Taylor FOX TV, “The Essence Awards” FOX TV, “Melrose Place” BET, “Jazz Central” with Lou Rawls BET ON JAZZ, “Kennedy Center Women in Jazz Conference Special” BET, “Jazz Central” with Ramsey Lewis CNN, “Showbiz Today”
Movies What Women Want – soundtrack and feature film debut The Visit – soundtrack and video
Radio NPR’s New Year’s Eve National Broadcast Jazz Set with Branford Marsalis Voice of America, With Willis Conover NPR Piano Jazz, Marian McPartland NPR’s “All Things Considered” NPR’s “The State of Things” XM Satellite Christmas Special

Noteable Appearances

2003 National Minority AIDS Council International Conference
2003 DIVAS: Simply Singing
2003 Vagina Monologues
2003 International Association of Jazz Educators (Gala performance)
2002 Society of Singers Gala – Honoring Placido Domingo
2002 Soul Gone Home – Langston Hughes’ one woman play with Mallarme Chamber Players
2002 Luyala Folk Opera (c. William Banfield)
2001 Society of Singers Gala – Honoring Julie Andrews
2001 Jerry Lewis’ MDA Labor Day Telethon
2001 VARIETY: The Children’s Charity
2001 DIVAS: Simply Singing
2001 Presidential Inaugural Gala Performance
1999 National Mayor’s Conference
Carnegie Hall, Monterey Jazz Festival, Atlanta Jazz Festival, The Kennedy Center, Ravinia Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival; with National Symphony Orchestra, and numerous other major festivals, symphonies, and concerts venues worldwide

Composition Awards & Honors

“Button Up”, Grammy Nominated Arrangement
“One Child At A Time”, Theme Song for Partner’s In Education

Discography

Concord Records: Homefree 2010 Better Than Anything (a retrospective and best of...) 2008 Blueprint Of A Lady: Sketches of Billie Holiday * 2005 LIVE 2003 Tales of Wonder 2002 Soulcall * - with Special Guest Take 6 2001 Maiden Voyage * – with Special Guest Herbie Hancock 1998 Shaking Free * 1996

Columbia Records: Listen 1994 Heritage 1993 Nnenna Freelon 1992

Recording Guest Appearances: Monk on Monk ** (N2K Encoded Music), Duet with Dianne Reeves A Concord Christmas, Vol. II (Concord Records) What Women Want ** (SONY soundtrack) Voices of Concord: 30th Anniversary Celebration (Concord Records – CD and DVD) Church: Songs of Soul and Inspiration *, ** (Universal) The Visit (Concord Records - soundtrack) An NPR Jazz Christmas with Marian McPartland (NPR Records) Smooth Sounds (Concord Records) A Great Night In Harlem (Concord Records) * Denotes Grammy Award Nomination ** Denotes Gold selling albums

Collaborations: Nnenna Freelon, Harolyn Blackwell, and Mike Garson –Dreaming the Duke 2008; Nnenna Freelon and Evidence –Blueprint of a Lady 2005; Nnenna Freelon and The Count Basie Orchestra T.S. Monk – Monk On Monk 1997; Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra feat. Lew Tabackin – Carnegie Hall Concert 1992; Yusef Lateef – Heart Vision 1992