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A Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, arranger, and producer, Syleena Johnson has built a lasting career as a distinctively forthright R&B artist equipped with a powerful voice. The daughter of unsung soul great Syl Johnson, she was born in Harvey, Illinois and grew up listening to Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Tina Turner, the Dells, and Mavis Staples. She performed in local bands and sang in her church choir at Greater Christian Unity, and later worked in classical and gospel choirs as well as in jazz ensembles at Drake University and Illinois State University, where she majored in music. Johnson's soulful rasp, reminiscent of old-school R&B singers, set the tone for her confessional songs. Her first recordings appeared on a mid-'90s album of duets with her father, but she made her proper debut with Love Hangover (1999), which featured covers of Diana Ross' "Love Hangover" and Womack & Womack's "Baby I'm Scared of You." She then signed with the Jive label for three albums, all of which reached the Top 20 of Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart. On Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness (2001), Johnson confronted her romantic pitfalls and coming of age with guest appearances by Buddy Guy and R. Kelly. Between Chapter 2: The Voice (2002) and Chapter 3: The Flesh (2005), she appeared on fellow Chicago native Kanye West's Grammy-nominated Top Ten Hot 100 hit "All Falls Down."
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
1627 Smallman St, Pittsburgh, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 15222
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