HOUSTON, TX (FEBRUARY 2012) - Local recording artist and performer, Deborah Wedekind, who lives in the North Houston area, is currently featured with a photo, on the Singer Universe website’s home page at: www.singeruniverse.com, as a National Top 5 Vocalist Finalist for January 2012! Her original song, “Psalm on Danny Boy”, placed her in the Top 5 due to Deborah’s beautiful vocals, haunting lyrics and unique arrangement. She also won a Top 5 spot nationally with Singer Universe in their December 2011 Best Vocalist contest, for her unique arrangement of “I Dreamed a Dream”, recently made popular by British singer Susan Boyle. In Deborah’s more Adult Contemporary version, she creates a stunningly beautiful counter melody in the orchestral strings which depict the longing and suffering of the lead character, Fantine, while creating a lighter vocal line that flows “…with much more of a Pop feel” than prior versions.

Deborah recorded her CD, Clear Skies Ahead, which released in November 2011, with Producer, Troy Warren, Jr., at Absolute Sound studios in Houston. Troy ranks Deborah’s CD as his top project in over 30 years of working in sound production. Since its release, here is what This is Kingwood has to say about Deborah:

"...Deborah could and probably should be lumped in more with classic artists like Astrud Gilberto (Girl from Impanema), Peggy Lee, Rosemary Clooney and Lena Horne. She's that good. Her silky smooth voice stays somehow young and fresh while exhibiting a classically trained experience one can only gain from being, well, that good. If you get a chance to check out one of her local performances, do yourself a favor and make the effort, you'll be glad you did."

Additionally, Deborah’s original sexy-Latin arrangement of the classic, “Till There Was You”, is currently in the Broadjam.com Top 10 Latin songs chart worldwide, and on Feb. 19th, 2012, it reached #2 on the Top 10 Latin Jazz world chart. Her “Psalm on Danny Boy” also remains on Broadjam’s Top 10 World Chart, and has been since January 2012. (Broadjam is a site for aspiring singers and songwriters music industry professionals and fans from around the world, and has many thousands of members.)

Deborah is also excited to have been recently asked to be the lead female singer for the Billie Ledbetter Band and Orchestra, Houston’s #1 Dance Band. This will give Deborah many more opportunities to showcase her talents and bring her unique vocals, arrangements and compositions to the greater Houston and South Texas area.

Deborah Wedekind is available now for bookings, along with her world-class band. Please visit www.deborahwedekind.com for an EPK, booking one sheet, or to hear her music.

Artwork from "Clear Skies Ahead"

HOUSTON, TX (NOVEMBER 2011) – Deborah Wedekind’s debut album, Clear Skies Ahead, releases digitally at stores like iTunes, Amazon, and all other digital retail stores through Fontana Distribution on November 8, 2011, just in time for the Holidays. To celebrate the 14-song album release, Deborah has scheduled an exciting holiday event in the Kingwood/North Houston Area, and the general public is invited. The event will benefit a Houston/Humble area charity! Often called “a female Michael Buble”, Deborah will perform stylish pop renditions from her new CD, Clear Skies Ahead, along with classic holiday songs to get everyone in the mood for the season. This event is a great way to kick off the Holiday Season with wonderful music and food shared with family and friends, while giving back to those in need:

Deborah Wedekind, originally from Katy, Texas, comes from a highly talented and musical family, and currently lives in Kingwood, Texas. Now she’s arranging and performing music, and has composed her original and highly acclaimed: “Psalm on Danny Boy”, with more compositions in the pipeline. For more information about Deborah, or to hear songs from, or to order her NEW CD, Clear Skies Ahead now, please visit www.Facebook.com/DeborahWedekind; or go to: www.DeborahWedekind.com (after Nov. 12, 2011).

Artwork from "Clear Skies Ahead"

HOUSTON, TX (OCTOBER 2011) – Deborah Pyle Wedekind (pronounced: wee-dee-kind), brings an uplifting pop approach to timeless standards we all know and love. Often referred to as a "jazzy Michael Buble", she adds a fresh, exciting, vibrant, and yet beautifully different pop approach to her arrangements. She certainly has developed a sound all her own. In her new CD, Clear Skies Ahead, these lush arrangements are only outshone by her vocal clarity and range, reminiscent of "a young Barbara Streisand" or a "female Josh Groban".

Though a recent entrant into the full-time music scene, Deborah comes from a highly talented and musical family, with six brothers and sisters all involved, professionally or otherwise, in music and acting. Now living in Kingwood, Texas, part of the Houston area where she was raised, she has recently completed her music degree. Now she's not only arranging and performing music, but has composed her original and highly acclaimed: "Psalm on Danny Boy", with more original songs in the pipeline.

 

Deborah has starred in several local productions including "Cabaret", and "Magic Flute", and has been a guest soloist with the Kingwood Pops Orchestra, Houston Chamber Choir, Houston Symphony Chorus, Cantare, and the Kingwood Chorale. She often "hears the music" in her head, and feels that writing songs and arranging them, along with performing, are gifts from God. She wrote or arranged all the songs for Clear Skies Ahead, along with her Producer, Troy Warren, of Absolute Sound, in Houston. Troy has stated that he ranks Clear Skies Ahead at "the very top of his long list of CD's" he's produced in his over 30 years of work.

Her husband, Larry, is also a professional singer in addition to his busy life as a CEO, and lends his resonant vocals to the duet, The Prayer, on Clear Skies Ahead. Deborah has been inspired by Larry and her family to: "get out there, and make my dreams of performing and writing music a reality". And so she has. The Observer in Houston has said, "her vocal style is so unique and smooth, that it's almost unparalleled".

Now that Clear Skies Ahead is completed, it's time to share this beautiful collection of songs with the world. The CD releases digitally at stores like iTunes, Amazon, and all other online stores through Fontana Distribution on November 8, 2011. Song clips can be heard now on: www.Facebook.com/DeborahWedekind. For pre-release orders, please contact: lisa@indieextreme.com or visit: www.DeborahWedekind.com, (after November 5th).

Diva Prince Productions, Deborah's independent label and production company, will host two CD benefit release concerts which are scheduled for the Kingwood, TX area, to celebrate her CD release: November 6th at Kingwood United Methodist Church (see announcement below), and November 25th from 6:30-8:30pm, at Kingwood Country Club (please call Terry at 281-358-2171 for dinner reservations, to register, or for more information).

November 6, 2011, from 4:00 – 5:00pm
CD RELEASE CONCERT BENEFITTING KUMC MISSIONS AND SOCIETY OF ST. STEPHEN
This Premier release benefit concert will be held at Kingwood United Methodist Church, 1799 Woodland Hills Drive, Kingwood, TX 77339. Tickets: $20 in advance or at the door: add a pre-sale CD with the purchase of your advance purchase ticket for only $10. CD's will be available for $20 the day of the concert. 100% of ticket proceeds and a portion of CD sales will benefit Society of St. Stephen* and local church missions**. There will be a live band, and a nursery is provided. For tickets or for more information, please call 281-358-2137, or visit www.kingwoodumc.org for more information.

Society of St. Stephen*is a community outreach agency serving people living in the Humble, New Caney and Splendora school districts. Clients can visit SOSS for food, clothing, and for financial assistance. They have three special projects a year. Their Back to School drive supplies over 750 children each year with school supplies, a shoe voucher for a pair of new shoes, and backpacks. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, they provide over 450 food baskets for family holiday dinners, and gifts for over 1,500 area children.

Kingwood United Methodist Church**has been serving the Kingwood/Humble area since 1972. Its mission is to make disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world. Ticket proceeds will benefit the local mission programs of the church including: the Society of St. Stephen, UM Army (youth missions), the Kairos Prison Ministry, and the Grief Support and Counseling ministry.

A born arranger, singer and speaker, Deborah's desire is to bring hope, inspiration, and joy to everyone who hears her music. She is looking forward to bringing her unique, uplifting brand of music and performance to diverse people and events around the world.

indieExtreme, with offices in Houston, TX, and Nashville, TN, represents musicians ranging from folk legend Judy Collins, to 7 year-old singer and Disney actress, Kaitlyn Maher. Deborah's Diva Prince Productions, is a client label with indieExtreme. The firm partners with Fontana Distribution for distribution and retail marketing, along with providing label services such as marketing, publicity, social media management, management consulting, music licensing and online marketing systems to independent labels.

For more information about Deborah Wedekind, visit www.facebook.com/deborahwedekind. To learn more about indieExtreme , please visit http://www.indieextreme.com, call: (615) 309-1718 or (281) 890-5034, or you may send an e-mail to: kathyd@indieextreme.com.