“I love to perform. I love to see
people come in ‘down’ but then
leave a show with joy. I love
meeting people and sharing my
gifts. I enjoy the ovations when
people have been touched. I love
to share with the foundations I
work with to give back and help
young artists to establish their
careers and get jobs in the industry.
I enjoy giving back and being a
part of the evolution of music.” —
Ann Nesby
From new jack swing to electronic
dance music (EDM), few have
survived and even thrived during
that musical evolution as gracefully
and fearlessly as Ann Nesby.
The phrase “living legend” gets
indiscriminately bandied about
quite a bit these days. Yet, in the
case of singer/songwriter Ann
Nesby, on her 25th anniversary in
the music business, nothing less
than such effusive language will do.
With a storied career that includes
two GRAMMY Award winswith
the Twin Cities-based Sounds
of Blackness collective and six
nominations since embarking on
her solo career in 1996, Nesby
has toured with Luther Vandross,
had duet smashes with Sting
(“Demolition Man”) and Al Green
(“Put It On Paper”), written a Top
10 R&B hit for Patti Labelle (“Right
Kinda Lover”) and a soul classic
(“Home Alone”) on Gladys Knight’s
last gold-seller. Even Nesby’s dues
paying session work was with such
luminaries as Janet Jackson and
Alexander O’Neal. In other words,
Ann Nesby has worked among the
best as one of the best almost from
day one.
As with quiet storm classics like
29
It’s Christ Or Nothing
“I’m Still Wearing Your Name” and “I’ll
Do Anything For You,” the sage wife
of 20 years ensures an honest, female
empowered take on relationships gets
equal time on Living My Life. Working
with Kendrick Dean of Beyoncé fame,
Nesby co-writes a trio of what may
be her most memorable love and
heartbreak songs, with the no-holds
barred “Let It Be,” the mid-tempo bump
of “Remember,” and the bare-knuckled
power ballad, “Through With [