Paulette McWilliams will be one of the featured performers in the “Celebrating Women in Jazz” concert on Saturday. (Courtesy of Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest)
The fourth “Celebrating Women in Jazz” concert, produced by Chris “Big Dog” Davis, will be back by popular demand on Saturday at noon in the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading Grand Ballroom.
Chris “Big Dog” Davis is the producer of the “Celebrating Women in Jazz” concert. (Courtesy of Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest)
This year’s theme will be “Lady Sings the Blues,” inspired by the 1972 movie starring Diana Ross as Billie Holiday and Billy Dee Williams as her husband and manager, Louis McKay.
The show will feature vocalists Regina Belle, Paulette McWilliams and Maysa, with violinist Chelsey Green and saxophonist Jazmin Ghent, accompanied by a band led by Davis.
“This will show their jazz versatility, because in the other three shows, we used electronic instruments and R&B/contemporary arrangements,” Davis said. “For the first half of this show, we will be using a Yamaha grand piano, an upright bass, a drummer and two horn players, and going back to authentic jazz. And we’re really focusing on songs from the movie that Billie Holiday would have sung.”
For the second half, he said: “It’ll be electric, and the women can take their hair down and get loose. Over the past five years I’ve worked with more than 30 women on this show, and they are all incredible artists.”
One of those artists is Paulette McWilliams, who has had a remarkable career as a backup vocalist and singing partner for many artists, including Luther Vandross, Bette Midler, Michael Jackson, Johnny Mathis, Marvin Gaye and Quincy Jones. She has also had success as a solo recording and performing artist.
In a recent interview over Zoom, McWilliams (who openly admits to being 77 but looks at least 25 years younger) radiated joy and warmth. In looking back over her experiences — which included singing on Broadway and on tour as a Harlette in “The Divine Miss M,” and traveling to places she never could have imagined as a child living on Chicago’s South Side — she often declared herself blessed by God.
“I’ve never had a manager or a cousin or uncle who was out there before I decided to do this,” she said. “I was the first in my family to leave, and it was scary! But I used to watch musicals on TV and I would pray to God and say, ‘I want this; I want to sing.’ And God was my manager; I can see that now. Back then, as a teenager, it just seemed that doors kept opening up for me.”
Her first success was, at age 11, winning second place on Patricia Vance’s “Little Stars,” a regional TV show similar to “Star Search.” One of her idols, Sammy Davis Jr., happened to be a guest on the show.
He told her she was a “great singer” and passed her his card, telling her to look him up when she was older.
“I lost the card somehow, so I never called him,” she said, “but always kept his words in my heart.”
In 1969, McWilliams auditioned with more than 100 other girls for the band American Breed and became their lead singer for a number of years as their name changed to Ask Rufus, then Rufus; when she left the band, she was replaced by her good friend Chaka Khan, whom she had recommended for the lead.
Gospel singers Donny Hathaway and Tennyson Stevens helped McWilliams record a demo and sent it to Quincy Jones, who hired her as a backup and lead for his “Body Heat” tour and the album “Mellow Madness.”
She sang with Marvin Gaye, performing the Tammi Terrell duets with him on his last tour. Her career burgeoned, and in 1982 she joined Luther Vandross and stayed with his band until 2002. By that time, she was one of the most in-demand backup singers in the business.
In 2020, McWilliams recorded a solo album, “A Woman’s Story,” followed by “These Are the Sweet Things” (2023).
Now her latest album, “Functify,” is being released in time for her appearance at the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest, and she is over the moon about having the opportunity to share this particular work with the world.
“The songs are all originals,” she said, “written by myself and my ex-husband (drummer/producer/songwriter Ivan Hampden, who was also a member of Vandross’s band). We found that we write together better than anything. The songs are neo-soul, pop and jazz, and funk is the umbrella over it all.”
She shared some lyrics of a story song called “Teddy’s Got a Plan,” and the Mavis Staples-inspired “I Feel You,” and even thrilled the interviewer by singing a bit in her velvety contralto.
“It’s all based on being in love and loving myself enough to tell you it’s not working,” she said. “The love songs I write are stories about relationships, not just ‘I love you, Baby.’ I’m so happy with my label, Majestic Music, and with the owner, Angelo Montrone.”
This summer, Majestic will be reissuing “A Woman’s Story,” and simultaneously, McWilliams will be featured in the documentary film “In the Back, in the Corner, From the Dark to the Light,” which is the story of her life as a singer.
Appearing with her in the documentary will be many artists with whom she has worked, including Midler, Khan, Marcus Miller, Ray Parker Jr., Nat Adderly (a Vandross alum) and Willy Weeks (an Ask Rufus alum). The eminent documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has been a consultant on this project.
Asked how she preserves her extraordinary voice, with its five-octave range, through all the touring and recording, McWilliams said: “I don’t party a lot, and I’m not a drinker because alcohol dries out my vocal cords. I’ve never smoked cigarettes, ever. I like feeling like I’ve had enough rest so I can do what I’m being paid to do, so I can be on top of my game. I want to reflect God’s light, and I’m trying to be the very best person I can be by following Jesus Christ.”
For complete information about Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest and how to purchase tickets, visit www.berksjazzfest.com.