Reneé Austin
| Reneé Austin | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1966 San Diego, California, United States |
| Origin | Texas |
| Genres | Gospel, rhythm and blues, country, soul blues |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, guitarist, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar |
| Years active | 1997–2005; 2015–present |
Reneé Austin (born c. 1966) is an American rhythm and blues and soul blues singer, and songwriter. She has a wide vocal range, and has opened for Lonnie Brooks, Robert Cray, Delbert McClinton, Los Lobos, Big Head Todd & the Monsters and more. She released three albums during her career, and supplied backing vocals to the Lamont Cranston Band's 1997 album, Roll with Me, and on Tommy Castro's 2005 album, Soul Shaker. Austin was also part of a group of women who performed in Morgan Freeman's 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 Janis Joplin, Tina Turner, Gladys Knight, Mary J. Blige and Tamela Mann.
The Philadelphia Inquirer commented that she "embraces a deliciously wide range of roots styles: She belts the blues with sass, 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."
It was announced in January 2005 that her career was finished as following thyroid surgery, she was left with a paralyzed vocal nerve that made speaking and further singing impossible. However, after years of inaction, her voice has returned and in 2015, Austin returned to performing.
Austin was born in San Diego, California, United States, and at the age of three moved with her family to Kingsland, Texas. Inspired by the singing of Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Mavis Staples and Tina Turner, by 15 years old she had composed her first song. Encouraged by her parents and, after singing at both church and high school, Austin relocated to Minneapolis to attend college. During her time there she sang in various clubs and independently released her debut album in 1997.Dancin' with Mr. Blue was well received and was named as 'Best Blues Recording' by the Minnesota Music Academy. It also garnered her the 'Best Blues Artist' and 'Best Female Vocalist' awards. Austin won a total of six Minnesota Music Awards off this album.
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