Cabaret's Best-Kept Secret

News Story by: Lynn Marie Squillace

There aren’t many people that we meet in a lifetime that have re-invented themselves as many times as this talented lady.  Rondi Charleston has proved time and time again that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.  Her name may not ring a bell with many people – at least not yet, but she is surely becoming a standout in the jazz community.

With an impressive educational background from Julliard to Graduate school at NYU, from working with Diane Sawyer as a Producer on Primetime Live for six years.  (She also won an Emmy and a Peabody Award for one of the stories they worked on in women’s healthcare.) Rondi Charleston proves that you should never give up on your dreams.   “From that time I was always singing jazz,” explains Charleston, on my lunch breaks, after working at ABC I would go and sing.”

Ironically, her debut recording “Love Letters” wasn’t released until 2001.  “I couldn’t have planned any of this,” explains Charleston.  “The story is coming out now for whatever reason and I feel like in a way it was all meant to be this way because now I have something to really bring to the table.”  “When I open my mouth I have real life experience behind it.”

Raised in Chicago and surrounded by a family of musicians, it couldn’t be possible that Charleston wasn’t destin to sing.  “If you have a passion you need to do something everyday to keep your dream alive”, explains Charleston that truly is the trick.

In her early part of her career she spent several years touring with operas.  “I love opera,” explains Charleston, but it wasn’t fulfilling enough for me.”  

Her jazzy, alluring and smoky vocals are a cross between Minnelli and Streisand, but have its own unique flavor to it.  In My Life her latest project is available on line and the official release is currently available at Virgin Records.   Rondi says that when she writes she writes about what is going on in her life at the time.  “There really is nothing calculated about it”, explains Charleston, “I’m fortunate that the audiences has been relating to what I’m trying to share with them.”

Balancing a professional singing career and motherhood is not easy, but Rondi’s doing it with grace.  Being able to spend time with her daughter is very important, but now that she is growing up a bit Rondi is looking forward to performing more live shows.

Rondi will be headlining at Feinstein’s at the Loew’s Regency this spring in New York City.   If there’s any justice in the music world, you should be hearing Rondi Charleston’s name along with the splendid music she makes --- a lot more.

For more information: http://www.rondicharleston.com

Click here for printer-friendly version of review.

Send this page to a friend.