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Jessie Powell is healing the world through her music

June 19, 2020 By Kara Kennedy

Jessie Powell Inspired Southerner
Jessie fell in love with music at an early age

Jessie Laine Powell began her music career at an early age. At 14, she was singing on the weekends at weddings, festivals, and churches with her high school teachers whom she considered her mentors. The Lexington, Kentucky singer, songwriter soon found that music was her calling. Her goal is to heal the world through her music.

“We lived in the very small town of Winchester, Kentucky and I would travel all over the place singing,” said Jessie Laine Powell, owner of JLPMusic. “I was making good money, for a 14-year-old and I soon realized that I could make music my professional career.”

Inspired Southerner Jessie Powell
Jessie grew up singing gospel music

Jazz Standards and Gospel Music

Jessie fell in love with jazz music in her early 20s. Her dad was a minister, she grew up singing gospel music. In fact, she and her sisters traveled with their father when he preached, and they would be his choir. Traveling and singing inspired her to compose music and she released her first gospel album, “On the Edge,” in 2004.

Transitioning to Soul R&B

During the last three years, Jessie has been undergoing a transformation and delving into Soul R&B. She says as an artist you are should be constantly growing and evolving, especially with your music. For her R&B was the next step for her to enter into naturally which allows her to reach a totally new audience of listeners. 

Jessie Powell heals the world with her music
Jessie is transitioning from jazz to soul R&B

“ Soul R&B allows me freedom and simplicity as a vocalist, It is a very intriguing style. It is a genre I particularly enjoy singing. It also allows me to tell a story musically and strategically. The flow is much smoother, and I am learning and growing in a completely different genre,” she added. 

Over the years, Jessie has found inspiration from the sounds of such musicians as Anita Baker, Patti Austin, Phyllis Hyman as well as others. Jessie has teamed up with music producer and manager  Baron Harris, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was instrumental in helping Jessie release her first Soul R&B single in the U.K. 

Inspired Southerner Jessie Powell
Jessie has received great feedback on her new single

“We released her single April 17 and it has been in rotation since with over 8.5 million listeners around the world,” said Baron Harris, president of Baron Harris Music. “DJs and radio executives from the U.S., U.K., Australia, Italy and Germany have given us great feedback on her new single.” 

Helping others Heal

Jessie released her single “Like No Other Love” in the U.S. earlier this month and she hopes to put smiles on people’s faces. For Jessie, her music is a way for her to give hope, healing and happiness to the world. Through her music, she hopes that people learn to live their lives with compassion, joy. She added that before COVID-19 we all were living life at a fever pitch and at a speed in which we could not sustain. “Many lives have been lost and it breaks my heart. We’ve been forced to re-examine our priorities,” stated Jessie.

Inspired Southerner Jessie Powell
Jessie creates music to help listeners relax

The state of the world also, as she puts it, has made humanity stop and take a look at our priorities. Families are shifting and getting back to the basics of spending time with each other, having compassion for one another, and connecting with each other in a deeper way. 

“I am creating music for people so they can relax and exhale and put into perspective what God has given to us,” she said. “My purpose is huge, but I am ready to bring joy to peoples’ lives.” 

Filed Under: Entertainment, Inspiration, Life, Music Tagged With: jazz, jazzmusic, Jessie Laine Powell, Kentucky, Music, R&B, soul

Wordless Wednesday: The Very Talented Kat Edmonson

November 9, 2016 By Kara Kennedy

Kat Edmondson

I went to jazz singer Kat Edmonson’s concert last Friday night at Samford University.  I was blown away by her talent and performance as a singer songwriter and storyteller.  According to her bio, she began songwriting at age nine when she wrote a song on the bus while riding to school.  She began her professional music career in Austin, Texas in 2002.  After performing in the New York City Jazz Festival she relocated to NYC.  She also is an NPR favorite.  I also got to have a conversation with her after her show not only is she talented, she also is a very gracious artist as well.  Enjoy her latest album Way Down Low below:

 

Filed Under: Entertainment, Life, Music, Wordless Wednesday Tagged With: jazz, Kat Edmonson, Music, singer, songwriter

We tell real stories about the south. ~Kara Kennedy, Publisher

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