Rita Graham

Rita Graham was one of multiple Grammy award winning NAACP, Kennedy Center award winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, Ray Charles Raelettes. In fact, she was the only female that Ray Charles personally produced an album on and released on his own record label. Ms. Graham recorded several singles with TV Composer, Mike Post (Rockford Files, Law and Order, Hill Street Blues, etc). She was featured vocalist with The Harry James Orchestra for 3 years, and with Mercer Ellington and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Tour ‘82. She was a featured artist with Oscar Peterson, Ray Charles, and comedian Redd Foxx, among others. She has performed in festivals, night clubs, casinos and concert venues in Las Vegas, Canada, the UK, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Manila, Bangkok, and Russia. She originated the role of Coretta Scott King in the Civil Rights Theater Musical, "Selma," produced by Redd Foxx Productions in Los Angeles, and off Broadway’s New Federal Theatre, produced by Woodie King, Jr. As the lead vocalist in Rita and The Tiaras, Ms. Graham recorded the UK "Northern Soul" Classic hit, "Gone With The Wind Is My Love." The Tiaras were studio singers whom Rita never met. A track from the Vibrations album, "My Cup Runneth Over With Love" is also a "Northern Soul" Hit. From 1999-2009, Ms. Graham was known as "The First Lady Of Sambuca Jazz Café," Atlanta’s premiere Showroom, where the CD "Rita Graham Live at Sambuca Atlanta" was recorded. Rita Graham is a also Board member of Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. and she teaches voice at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA. A suspense/murder mystery novel she penned, entitled "Karma Rising" has been optioned to be made into a feature film.