Sue Ann Carwell
Sue Ann Carwell is a two-time Grammy Award–winning and seven-time Grammy–nominated vocalist whose career spans decades of soul, R&B, funk, and blues excellence. Born in Chicago, Illinois, she moved with her family to St. Paul, Minnesota at a youthful age, where her extraordinary musical gifts quickly became clear. As a teenager, she emerged on the Minneapolis R&B scene, winning local talent shows with her band Enterprise Band of Pleasure performing alongside influential musicians such as Morris Day, Alexander O’Neil and including the funk collective Flyte Tyme and eventually guitarist Jesse Johnson. Carwell’s undeniable talent soon caught the attention of bassist André Cymone, who discovered her singing at the Elks Club. This introduction led Prince to attend one of her performances, after which she became his protégé. Prince produced her first demo tape and worked with her on recordings intended for a projected album. Although several tracks were recorded among them “I’m Saving It Up,” “Make It Through the Storm,” “Since We’ve Been Together,” and “Wouldn’t You Love to Love Me?” the album was never released. Carwell also declined Prince’s suggestion that she record under the name “Susie Stone,” choosing instead to preserve her own artistic identity. At just 19 years old, Sue Ann Carwell signed with Warner Bros. Records and released her self-titled debut album, Sue-Ann. Shortly after she left Warner Bros. and signed with MCA Record releasing Blue Velvet, produced by Jesse Johnson. The album highlighted her remarkable vocal versatility, earning praise for standout tracks such as the gritty “Fiction,” the melodic mid-tempo “Pleasure,” and the serene ballad *“I’ll Give You Love.” Critics highlighted her ability to seamlessly shift from sassy, streetwise soul to sultry jazz phrasing and heartfelt sensitivity. Her next MCA Records album Painkiller, released under her full name, Sue Ann Carwell, further solidified her reputation as a powerhouse vocalist. AllMusic praised the project as “an impressive offering,” noting that it effectively showcased Carwell as a bold, confident soul diva. In 2010, Carwell returned with Blues In My Sunshine, a collection of original songs featuring Jesse Johnson of The Time. The album was widely acclaimed, with the Santa Monica Mirror calling it “a superb blues album,” and critic Casey Rain describing it as “phenomenal.” With a renewed creative fire, Carwell felt compelled to record the album she had always envisioned a timeless, classic R&B project featuring all live instrumentation and funky, soulful horns. She reached out to her longtime friend, song writer/producer DeYon Dobson, who immediately embraced the opportunity to collaborate with the legendary singer. He assembled an extraordinary lineup of world-class musicians, including Michael “NOMAD” Ripoll, Bill Meyers, Scott Mayo, Gordon Campbell, Charlie Singleton, Lance Vantile Whitfield and André Cymone, among others.
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