A gifted jazz vocalist, composer, poet, producer, and educator, Dee Dee McNeil has earned the respect of the R&B and jazz community. Early in her career, Dee Dee became a songwriter for Motown Records in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan, and over the last 40 years she has become a well known recording artist, songwriter and concert performer.
She's penned tunes for the Four Tops, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Kiki Dee, Nancy Wilson, reggae star Rita Marley, gospel singer Lexi, David Ruffin, Edwin Starr and even the rapper Styles, who sampled a song she wrote and arranged for the LA group Side Effect.
After Motown, Ms. McNeil moved to Los Angeles where she became the only female member of the legendary rap group, the Watts Prophets. Their album Rappin Black In A White World is now a collector's item. Dee Dee's original idea was to combine danceable music with spoken word poetry, and on the West Coast, some have come to call her the 'Mother of Rap' -- she is mentioned as such Tom Reed's book The Black Music History of Los Angeles: Its Roots.
After teaching classes in voice and artist development for three years at the Pasadena International Music Academy, Dee Dee now brings her talent to the California College of Music. Her emphasis is on correct breathing and use of the diaphragm, projection, power, range expansion and enunciation. She also encourages each student's creativity, showing them how to communicate with and lead a full band, how to use the microphone, how to plan and pace a show, and how to address audiences. With over four decades on stage and behind the scenes in the music business, Ms. McNeil brings a wealth of professional experience with her into the classroom.
Music Production
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