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Ladies of St. Louis Blues: Wendy Gordon, Reneé Smith, and Uvee Hayes presented by the Townsendx3 Agency Live at City Winery St. Louis on May 17th @ 7:30pm!Renee Smith has earned the nickname “Queen of Saint Louis Soul” on both sides of the Mississippi. Born in St. Louis, MO and raised in East St Louis IL, Renee began singing at age 12 in the Mount Missionary Baptist Church located in East St Louis IL, where she is currently the lead vocalist for the Voices of Zion. Drawing on her background in gospel music and her years of concert experience performing Blues, Soul and Jazz along with her many featured performances in local and international clubs, charitable events and festivals, Renee makes every performance exciting and heartfelt. With her powerful voice and dynamic stage presence, she makes a real soul connection. She has performed at the Peabody Opera House, the opening of the St Louis National Blues Museum, sang the National Anthem at the St Louis Dome of America’s Center and has done television appearances and commercials in Singapore. Renee has been the featured opening artist for several prominent rhythm and blues legends to include Aretha Franklin, Bobby Rush, Jerry Butler, Little Milton Campbell, Bobby Blue Bland, Johnnie Johnson, Ike Turner and Rufus Thomas. Renee’s starring appearances have included, for example: the St Louis Big Muddy Blues and Roots Festival, The St Louis Blues Heritage Festival, the Peabody Opera House, the opening of the St Louis National Blues Museum, Ground Zero in Clarksdale, MS and the King Biscuit Festival in Helena AR. She has made appearances and performed on ABC-TV’s Good Morning America, KSDK and KTVI St Louis, and various local radio stations. Her most treasured accolades include coming in 1st place at New York City’s renowned Apollo Theater and being a featured Blues Artist attraction in the St Louis National Blues Museum. Her picture and music are on display there for the world to see and hear. Renee recently wrote and released her first single entitled “Sitting Here Waiting.” The “Queen of Saint Louis Soul” is a three-time cancer survivor; she is a passionate activist in the fight against cancer and is an active participant in the Relay for Life and the Susan B. Komen Race For The Cure. Wendy is the author of Jazz Heaven Series. She is a song stylist, an actress, poet, author, storyteller and producer/promoter. She has performed throughout the St. Louis Area and metropolitan area for over 20 years. In addition to her deep passion for Jazz, she has expanded her repertoire to include Gospel, Blues, Pop, Broadway/Show Tunes, and R&B. A former psychological examiner in the St. Louis Public Schools and a dedicated recording artist, Uvee has released various albums filled with Blues, Jazz and Soul. Hayes has straddled the lines between Blues, Soul, Jazz and later Southern Soul throughout her career. She is one of precious few artists that have been able to make a mark in mainstream Blues as well as the Southern Soul markets. Hayes was born in Mississippi but relocated to Missouri after marrying St. Louis Radio Hall Of Famer Bernie Hayes, who started his independent record label Mission Park in order to issue Uvee's recordings. Uvee's first LP was released in 1984. The 7-track album was entitled "I.C.U.U.V." and introduced the world to a smooth, sometimes sultry singer with a unique, identifiable timbre. In 1986 an obscure imprint Bunky 7 Records released one of the tracks from the LP on a 12 inch single ("He's My Man") followed by another 12 incher entitled "B.Y.O.M (Bring Your Own Man)" coupled with "He's My Man". It would be several more years for new music to appear. Mission Park released Uvee's first CD, "On My Own" in the mid 90s. More notable was the 1998 release "Sweet & Gentle", a 14-track collection of both old and new recordings. It was at this point people started to take notice. This pattern of recycling older tracks with fresh material continued in 2001 on the 15-track "There'll Come A Time". All these early releases were aimed at the Blues and Jazz markets. In 2009 Uvee signed with the fledgling CDS Records label, which issued a 17 collection (yet again) of both new and previously-released tracks. The label chose her duet with Otis Clay, a cover of Johnnie Taylor's "Play Something Pretty" (also the album's name), as the first single but it was the follow up, "Maintenance Man", that put Uvee on the map in Southern Soul. Boosted by WDIA out of Memphis in late 2010 the song has gone on to receive extensive and consistent airplay and sales over the past seven years. Mission Park issued a new collection, "True Confessions" in 2011, which featured another duet with Otis Clay ("Steal Away (From The Hideaway)"), but it was the next album that produced her next successful song. Taken from 2014's "In The Mood", the track "Handy Man" was a sequel to "Maintenance Man" and followed a similar shuffle-bump arrangement. You'd think Uvee would ditch the Blues and Jazzy elements to her music but fortunately she has not. So that brings us to 2017 when another sequel to "Maintenance Man" makes it's appearance on "Nobody But You"
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO, United States, Missouri 63110
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