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Media Contact: Jeanette Hopkins
Email: TheHighgateYouthAcademy@Gmail.com
Classic R&B Legends & Queen of New School Soul Unite For Upcoming Benefit Fund Raiser
March 1, NEW YORK - On April 24, 2010, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, will be feeling the funk at the monthly Old School Celebrity Benefit/Fundraiser, Party W/A Purpose, hosted by soul recording artist, Roz Shepard. Queen of New School Soul Roz Shepard will be hosting several friends including The Delfonics, Emanuel Raheim of GQ, Evan Wills, tenor with The Ultimate Persuaders, Julius "Juice" Freeman photographer with the National R&B Music Society, business owners, community leaders, residents and fans. Proceeds will go to The Highgate Youth Leadership & Music Academy, an after school, weekend, and summer enrichment program for elementary, intermediate and high school students. The benefit will be held in Brooklyn, NY at Paphos Lounge at 9 pm. Live performance at 11pm sharp. For benefit and ticket information, visit Rozshepard.com/The Happenings. The Highgate Youth Leadership & Music Academy's mission is to assist schools and parents in developing youth to become skilled, productive adults and law abiding and ethical and effective leaders through a targeted curriculum that includes African American History, Financial Literacy, Introduction to a Second Language, Music Arts, and a Dropout Prevention, GED to College Program for High School students. The funds raised will be used help develop the curriculum and help defray the cost of events.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pa, Roz Shepard moved to New York as an infant. At the age of seven, Roz discovered her singing ability at a sleepover at her pastor's house. Quickly dubbed a child prodigy, Shepard was soon singing and making appearances in concerts as well as playing the violin in the school orchestra and at local school plays, and singing at glee clubs, churches and choir competitions. Roz competed in Hal Jackson's Miss Teen Black America Pageant. She has performed on the bill with a variety of singers and groups including Evelyn "Champagne" King, Roberta Flack, Colonel Abrams, Johnny Kemp, Keith Washington, Najee, D-Train, Force MDs, GQ, Ray Goodman and Brown/The Moments, Soul Generation, Glenn Jones, The Delfonics, The Stylistics, Blue Magic, The Ultimate Persuaders, Bobbi Humphrey, Me' lisa Morgan, and Ernie Isley.
In 2010, Shepard's first cd, reminiscent of Old School Soul with a today feel, entitled, "Sense-u-ality", will be released on Shepard's label Purple Panther Records. Along with her first cd, Shepard will also release a companion duet cd featuring long-time Luther Vandross background singer, Kevin Owens, The Manhattan's Troy May, GQ founder Emanuel "Raheim'' LeBlanc, James "D-Train" Williams, The Ultimate Persuaders' tenor, Evan Wills and her frequently requested rendition of Gladys Knight's "Neither One of Us" will also be on the cd. "Roz emits a raw soul that that is felt from head to toe. Her interpretation of a song exudes a passion and finesse that is rarely seen today. She is adeptly skilled", said Ultimate Persuaders member Evan Wills. With no album release, Roz has already been featured in Blackstar News and The Anointed News Journal. She has also been interviewed and her cd is already in rotation on the station that broke R&B recording star Kem, KTSU, 90.9FM in Houston, Tx. She was also interviewed, and has her music playing on WHCR Radio 90.3 FM in New York.
In 2007 Shepard partnered with The Manhattans' guitarist, who also plays 13 other instruments, James Simmons, to launch the record label and continue the heritage and sound of true soul music that Motown created. "The world is waiting for something new to listen to. It's time for some new sounds to echo from the music industry. New School Soul that is", says the Queen. Roz' initiative to nurture her music project and the leadership academy and bring them to a tangible reality reflects the true visionary that she is. She is the perfect conduit to accomplish such an interesting business venture, and return soul music to its roots while keeping it's integrity and giving it a new flava and current feel, through her passion, commitment, talent, and remarkable business acumen," said GQ founder, Emanuel Raheim.
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