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Valerie Holiday

For over 50 years, Valerie Holiday has been delighting audiences worldwide as the longest performing member of the successful girl group The Three Degrees. As Valerie reconnects to her solo roots, it’s time to set the showbiz world alight.

I was born in Newark, New Jersey, but I spent my primary years in my Grandmother’s care on her farm in Jacksonville Ga. Music was always in my spirit. I was raised in a Baptist church where the sound of voices raised in beautiful harmonies filled the air and the only instrument accompanying was that of a tambourine. I’d often entertain myself with my rendition of those songs.... As I grew up and began to experience life, those lyrics stayed with me, they gave me comfort many times, and still do.

Moving to Boston, Massachusetts would broaden my musical experience. The church we attended had a children’s choir. To me that was where my vocal training began. I loved singing, whether it was lead or background... As we graduated in ages, our music became more challenging. We loved to perform intricate harmony patterns; mastering the art of music. My introduction to “worldly music” came from my Auntie Mae. She would play albums on her stereo of artists like Aretha Franklin, Sarah Vaughn, Nancy Wilson, Shirley Horn, Nina Simone and Sarah Washington.

Entering my last year of High school, I decided to get an after school job. I was part of the Dietary staff. Therefore, I always thought I would go into the nursing field as a paediatric nurse. I intended to pick up an additional study after graduating high school. Little did I know how my life would change when my Mom mentioned entering the Miss Tan America Contest with a Scholarship as one of the prizes. This was going to be so far out of my comfort zone. Singing in front of strangers, walking down a runway in a bathing suit, public appearances... I was nothing like the ladies I came to know. They were more ‘worldly aware,’ I had been sheltered in Church, most of them knew how to apply makeup and a couple had been in contests before.

There was a talent portion of the evening, so I needed a good song. One that I could sing with conviction, one that would allow me to use my range. I felt like a deer in headlights at the start of my performance that night. I had to remind myself to ‘just breathe, relax, and let it flow.’

I remember feeling a great relief wash over me at the sound of the applause after I finished my song. Well, I couldn’t believe I’d won... my rendition of “Who Can I Turn To” got me a trophy and a crown as the winner of the Miss Tan America Contest 1966. It was then that I decided I wanted to become a professional singer. I could ‘carry a song’ as my grandmother would say. I would spend hours listening to the music of Nancy Wilson and Aretha Franklin, along with other artists. When I performed as professional singer, my set included mostly jazz, R&B and gospel songs like ‘Skylark,’ ‘A song for you,’ ‘Knock in wood’ and ‘My baby just cares for me.’

My impresario, Arnold Haywood, was the one who introduced me to my pianist Bernie Worrell, who at the time played with a band called Chubby & the Turnpikes, later renamed in Tavares. He was also one of the founding members – together with George Clinton – of Parliament Funkadelic. One evening, Frank Hatchett, a friend of Bernie, came to our set and told me he knew a female singing group who needed a replacement for one of its members. He thought it would be perfect for me. Although I loved my solo career, it was also kinda lonely being on the road by myself, so being in a group seemed like a good idea to me.

I went to see The Three Degrees, at that time it was Fayette, Sonia and Sheila, and I met their manager Richard Barrett. Well, to make a long story short I decided to join the group. So I moved from my mother’s home to an apartment together with Fayette and Sheila. After spending several months in Boston rehearsing, we were ready to resume performing. We would perform the top of the chart songs: ‘Alfie,’ ‘Brother, can you spare me a dime,’ ‘Ode to Billy Joe,’ with unusual songs. Unique ones no one else would do. And of course every song with choreography. That became our trademark and the fact there was no lead singer with two backing singers, but three individuals who would exchange sing lead, made us unique.

A few years ago I gathered all my courage and decided to do a solo show on Broadway, NYC. Frightening on one hand, curious on the other hand. Well, I did my four shows at the Irredium and it tasted like more.

So here it is, a collection of some of my favourite songs………………….my way.