Wanda Houston

Wanda Houston is an American singer and actress.

Wanda Houston
Birth nameWanda Lynn Houston[1]
BornChicago, Illinois, U.S.
OriginBerkshire County, Massachusetts
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years activelate 1990s–present

Biography

Houston is originally from Chicago, Illinois.[2][3] She started singing in gospel choirs of West Side, Chicago.[2] She was born to John and Bessie, the oldest of four.[2][4] Houston comes from a creative family.[4] Her father was an actor, and her mother was both an actress and a singer.[4][2] Her father ran a theatre company.[2] Houston studied chemistry in college, but eventually switched to music, getting her degree in music with a focus on opera.[2][4] After college she ended up in Los Angeles, spending two decades there.[4] At this time, Houston starred in some Hollywood films, and went on to sing at the Sands in Las Vegas.[2][4] After Los Angeles she moved to Australia while touring with Sisterella.[4][2] She spent a year in Australia, and considered staying there forever.[4][2]

In the 2000s, Houston toured with Martha and the Vandellas and The Platters.[2] She lived and performed throughout the United States, Australia and Europe.[5][3] In 2001[2] she settled in the Berkshires, and now she performs chiefly in New England.[5] In the Berkshires she is considered a diva.[2] Her current group plays "a mix of mid-20th century jazz and rhythm-and-blues".[6][3]

In February 2021 she sang the sorrow songs of W. E. B. Du Bois at the 2021 Du Bois Legacy Festival, commemorating the civil rights activist's 153rd birthday.[7][8] Her own parents were deeply involved in the civil rights movement.[2] She performed at the BarnArts Masquerade Jazz and Funk Winter Music Carnival on more than one occasion.[9]

Houston collaborated with American progressive rock band Spock's Beard on two occasions.[10][11] She was a featured artist on the dance single "Unity" by John Rizzo, also featuring Lisa Hunt.[12] The song peaked at number 27 on the United States Billboard Dance Club Songs.[12]

Acting career

While in Los Angeles, she starred in a few Hollywood films, including The Christmas Path, also starring Shia LaBeouf.[4][13] Houston starred in an off-Broadway play called "A Good Swift Kick",[2] which premiered in July 1999.[14] The play wasn't warmly received.[2] However, The New York Times praised Houston's performance, calling it fantastic.[14][2][4][15] In 2005 she debuted at Broadway, in a A Streetcar Named Desire, alongside John C. Reilly and Natasha Richardson.[16][2] Show director Edward Hall expanded Houston's role ("The Negro Woman") in this version.[4] Houston toured the world with Sisterella, a show produced by Michael Jackson where she played one of the wicked stepsisters.[4][17][18] In 2006 she performed Ain't Misbehavin' at the Sharon Playhouse.[4]

Personal life

Houston stated that her favorite jazz song is "Nature Boy", her favorite R&B song is "Midnight Train to Georgia", and her favorite song to perform live is her group's version of "On and On".[6] Mahalia Jackson was her idol growing up.[2][4]

Discography
List of singles as featured artist and year released
Title Year Peak chart positions Certification Album
US
"Unity"[12]
(John Rizzo featuring Lisa Hunt and Wanda Houston)		 2008 27 Non-album single

References
  1. "Wanda L. Houston - biography". IMDb. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  2. Dworkin, Susan (27 August 2018). "The singer finds her voice: The evolution of Wanda Houston". Berkshire Edge. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  3. Edelman, Emily (16 December 2020). "Bits & Bytes: Pink Martini livestream; Wanda Houston at Egremont Barn; 'Runnin' to Grace'; award for Wynn; winter help for families - Wanda Houston Band to perform at the Egremont Barn". Berkshire Edge. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  4. Cassidy, Benjamin. "'Wanda World' takes root in Berkshires". The Berkshire Eagle. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  5. "The Joe Belmont Experience with Wanda Houston". Boston.com. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  6. Cassidy, Benjamin. "Playlist: We asked Wanda Houston, what's your favorite song?". The Berkshire Eagle. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  7. Landes, Josh (23 February 2021). "Great Barrington Celebrates Du Bois' 153rd Birthday". WAMC. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  8. Rogovoy, Seth (19 February 2021). "Rogovoy Report 2/19/21". WAMC. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  9. "BarnArts 9th Annual Masquerade Jazz and Funk Winter Music Carnival". The Mountain Times (Vermont). 3 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  10. "Spock's Beard – Beware Of Darkness". Discogs. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  11. "Spock's Beard – The Light". Discogs. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  12. "Unity John Rizzo Featuring Lisa Hunt & Wanda Houston". Billboard. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  13. "The Christmas Path (1998)". IMDb. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  14. New York Times Theater Reviews (2001). The New York Times Theatre Reviews 1999-2000. Taylor & Francis. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-415-93697-2.
  15. Brantley, Ben (30 July 1999). "THEATER REVIEW; Taking Potshots the Entire Audience Can Grasp". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  16. Brantley, Ben (27 April 2005). "A Weak Erotic Charge Flickers in the New Orleans Heat". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  17. "The Latest on Sisterella". Playbill. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  18. Sisterella. OCLC 79394474. Retrieved 9 March 2021 – via WorldCat.
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