Many times as a music blogger, and as a music buyer I stand alone with my opinions of new artists. With younger fans they have many options in today’s market. Couple that fact with social media and trends move rather quickly and a hot artist today is old news tomorrow. The older music fans many times rejects all newer artists and gravitates toward the familiar music of yesterday. That means that some very good artists tend to escape the notice of fans that might really enjoy their music. The artist Weekly Music Commentary features this week might be one who could gain fans from both categories of fans. This week our featured artist is singer, songwriter and very accomplished pianist Avery Sunshine.
When I mention Avery Sunshine to music fans, most are not familiar with her or her music. They should be. I really wanted to feature Avery Sunshine a few years ago, but things just didn’t work out and time moved forward. She has been one of my favorite artists for a few years now, and she has continued to deliver some amazing live performances throughout the world. Perhaps many would benefit from an introduction to the woman, the artist and the music. Here we go!
Denise Nicole 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. “When I was 13, I started playing the piano in church and had no idea it would prepare me for the stage. My music is heavily influenced by gospel. At home, my parents played music from artists like Maze and Frankie Beverly and the Doobie Brothers. Then with my piano teachers, I worked on Rachmaninoff, Bach and Beethoven. My music is a combination of all that”.
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. She attended Spelman College in Atlanta, 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.
Although somewhat unusual to change her major from music at the time, I do understand it. Many become disillusioned about music at some time in the process. However, rarely does it occur in college. Those are the formative years where music is work but fun. When the money comes into play, that’s when the fun goes away and the business part can wear musicians down. The Spelman musical problems did not keep the young artist completely out of music. More would come.
In college, Avery met Maia Nkenge Wilson, a vocal major, and together they formed a gospel and R&B singing duo, DaisyRew. 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.
While working at the St. Paul AME Church, Sunshine met Dana Johnson, a guitarist, producer and songwriter who had previously worked with India.Arie. Sunshine, Johnson and Wilson began working together in 2003 with Johnson writing and producing the music, in addition to managing DaisyRew’s career. Wilson would be cast in another Broadway show, and what was DaisyRew would now be Avery Sunshine – solo.
In 2005, Avery 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.
Avery and Johnson began work on what became Avery Sunshine’s self-titled first album, released in 2010 on their own label, BigShine. Recorded mainly at Avery Sunshine’s home with ProTools. The record was praised by the media, with USA Today calling it “refreshingly original” and The Washington Post describing it as “a radiant brand of soul”. From 2010 until late 2013, Avery Sunshine toured consistently, and developed a following throughout the United States, the UK, Europe and Africa. They began recording a second album, The Sunroom, in November 2013, which was released in May 2014 through a partnership with Shanachie Records. In 2017, she released her third album, Twenty Sixty Four.
The major reason I wanted to feature Avery Sunshine at this time has nothing to do with any very recent developments. I really wanted to feature the person, more than the musician. Divorced in 2008, she is the mother of two children, a daughter, Drew, and a son, Evan. On April 3, 2016, Avery Sunshine married her guitarist Dana Johnson. Yes, she has been through a lot of life. Ups and downs, pains and happy moments, Avery Sunshine has experienced it all. She let’s everyone know that God is the thing that keeps her life balanced. That’s what I witnessed in an interesting interview,
I regularly listen to Cayman Kelly on SiriusXM and he is full of interesting facts about many of today’s entertainers. However, it was during an interview with Fantasia Barrino that I learned much about Avery Sunshine.
Recorded on YouTube, Fantasia mentioned how she felt a good spirit as she heard a particular gospel song played in the studio between breaks. Cayman called out Avery Sunshine to play the piano. Reluctantly, she made her way out as Cayman persisted. Of course, Avery Sunshine is very good, however, she really impressed young Fantasia as she started to sing and play the gospel song “Safe In His Arms”. Of course she explained when playing that song “it takes her to a vulnerable place”. I can definitely understand what she was speaking about. Next, she told Fantasia that she really appreciated the things that Barrino has done in her career, and how she admired the young artist. She explained that whatever she has done, or will do, that God is in her. She said no matter what she sings, she can see God in her. Avery Sunshine expressed her genuine joy and honor of being able to sing and worship with Fantasia.
Of course, that made Fantasia feel very good but it also told me a lot about Avery Sunshine. Through her music, she truly brings sunshine to all those who get a chance to listen to her gift – her music.