Native San Franciscan Linda Tillery, is a Grammy © nominated vocalist, percussionist, producer, and self-taught ethno-musicologist. For the past 16 years she has dedicated her artistic life to the research, teaching, and performance of the great African-American oral tradition of song, stick, and story - the ancestor of today’s American popular song. In 1992, Tillery founded the Cultural Heritage Choir to carry out this important mission. She and the CHC tell the story of slavery and its lingering effects from the point of view of the slaves for whom music was often their only voice.
Linda's alto voice is, big, powerful and soulful to the max. She sings with the experience of a 40 year veteran and the intuition of a skilled craftswoman. At the age of 19, Tillery became lead singer of the Berkeley based soul/rock band Loading Zone and later appeared under the name of Sweet Linda Divine. Later she shared lead vocals as a member of the Zasu Pitts Memorial Orchestra and the Solid Senders (Monday night house band at Boz Scaggs’ club, Slim’s). Her first solo recording, Linda Tillery (1977), won a Bammy (Bay Area Music Award) for “Best Independently Produced Album†and Tillery was twice named “Outstanding Female Vocalist†at the Bay Area Jazz Awards (1983-1984). Other awards include: Oakland Business Award (2001 and 2003), BAM Magazine - Musician of the Year (1998) and San Francisco Chapter of NARAS, Governors Award (1998).
One of Linda's longest and most important musical associations was with Oakland guitarist, Ray Obiedo. From 1982 to 1989, Tillery and Obiedo worked togther as a duo and also in Obiedo's funk/soul band "Kick". Other Kick members included Marc and Paul van Wageningen (bass and drums) , percussionist Sheila Escovedo, Saxophonist Larry Schneider and keyboardist, Steve Carter.
In 1982, Linda began her explorations into vocal improvisation with Bobby Mcferrin as her vocal coach and was later a founding member of McFerrin’s vocal ensemble, Voicestra. With fellow Voicestra members Rachel Bagby, Nicolas Bearde, Joey Blake, Kirsten Falke, Raz Kennedy, Molly Holm, Sarah Jennison, Rhiannon and David Worm, she developed her improvisatory skills and gained a greater understanding of the potential of the human voice.
An articulate and provocative speaker, Linda has given lectures on the history of African-American Sacred and Secular music throughout Canada, Europe and the United States. For the Winter quarter of 2007, she was a resident artist at Stanford University and also co-led a residency with choreograper Joanna Haigood at Williams College that same year.
Linda has shared the stage with Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, Taj Mahal, Sheila E., Kelly Joe Phelps, Vicki Randle, Narada Michael Walden, Mavis Staples, Ensemble Tartit, Regis Gizalvo, Eric Bibb, Pauline Oliveiros, Odetta, Richie Havens, Wilson Pickett, Rokia Traore, Giovanni Hidalgo, Arlo Guthrie, Boz Scaggs,Tom Scott, Danny Glover, Angela Davis, Alice Walker, ODC Dance Company, Tandy Beal Dance Company, Dimensions Dance Theater and Zaccho Dance Theater. She has also appeared on more than 70 recordings.
Linda is a long time friend of drummer Mike Clark and credits him with encouraging her to become a drummer. "I love working great drummers and I've been fortunate to share the stage and/or record with some great time keepers" - Harvey Mason, William Kennedy,
Jack de Johnette, Lenny White, Mike Clark, Giovanni Hidalgo, Narada Michael Walden, Gaylord Birch, Denny Carmassi, Paul van Wageningen, Herman Matthews, Coke Escovedo, Sheila E., Vince Lateano, Tony St. James, John Santos, John Paris, Kevin Hayes and Billy Johnson
Memberships: SAG, AFTRA, NARAS, AFofM Local 1000, ASCAP and the PERCUSSIVE SOCIETY.
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