Reneé Austin

Reneé Austin is an American soul, R&B, gospel, singer, songwriter, and speaker. She released three albums between 1997 and 2005, and supplied backing vocals on Tommy Castro's 2005 album, Soul Shaker. Austin was also part of a group of women who performed in Morgan Freeman's PBS Blues Divas, as well as singing for a live WWE season premier, whose television audience was six million. Her singing voice has been compared by critics to those of Mavis Staples, Tina Turner, Gladys Knight, Anita Baker, Regina Belle, and also as a female version of Michael McDonald.

The Philadelphia Inquirer commented that she "embraces a deliciously wide range of roots styles: She swings nimbly on R&B, and fires off some rousing gospel. For good measure, she also shows she can take it uptown with a sultry, soulful ballad." Inspired by the singing of Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Mavis Staples and Tina Turner, by 15 years old she had composed her first song. Regarding Sweet Talk, Allmusic noted "her presence is so powerful that she's comfortable in a variety of grooves and, at least on the basis of this album, succeeds at all of them." Sweet Talk was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Best New Artist Debut' category. as well at festivals and venues coast to coast in the US, Canada, and the Virgin Islands. Austin then appeared in the PBS television production, Blues Divas, in 2005, in a line-up that included one of her influences Mavis Staples, plus Ann Peebles, Denise LaSalle, Odetta, and Irma Thomas. All chances of further promotion and development were put on hold by her upcoming surgical operation in September that year. Although initially deemed a success, the procedure ultimately left her with a paralyzed left vocal nerve, which initially meant that she was unable to perform again.

In June 2016, doors opened for Austin in acting. In 2017, she filmed two ABC 20/20: In an Instant episodes, a short film and was picked up for representation by NUTS ltd (Non Union Talent Agency).

Austin released Songbirds & Angels in May 2018, with 13 Austin-penned originals. She was the executive producer along with David Grissom, who also played guitar on four songs recorded in Austin, Texas; plus piano/B3 from Joel Guzman, bass from Yoggie Musgrove and Brannen Temple (drums). The other nine songs were recorded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with producers Douglas A. Smith on piano/B3 and Christopher Furst as engineer and guitar, with Brian Kendrick (drums), Yohannes Tona (bass), Kevin Anderson (guitar) and Mark Arneson (saxophone).

Discography Year Title Record label 1997 Dancin' with Mr. Blue Oarfin 2003 Sweet Talk Blind Pig 2005 Right About Love Blind Pig 2018 Songbirds & Angels Independent