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Kathy Yolanda Rice

Smooth Jazz vocalist, CEO of Paintbrush Records & Publishing

About Me

Kathy Yolanda Rice was born and raised in the cosmopolitan city of Huntsville, Alabama, where her passion for music and art was recognized at an early age. Kathy writes her own lyrics and musical compositions. Most of her original tunes are based on real life experiences and emotions, from childhood throughout her adult years. Kathy began piano lessons at age 6, but knew that she always wanted to focus on singing. She took formal voice training at age 12 and continued throughout college, graduating from Alabama A & M University with a major in Music. Kathy embarked on a recording project with Hit Record Producer, Kelvin Wooten, formerly of Toni! Tony! Tone! Kelvin and Kathy created the magic that made her music so classy and unique. Wooten has produced hit songs for Anthony Hamilton, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and Kelly Price, to name a few.

Kathy is a gifted vocalist with a style of her own while she captures the hearts of many with her precious voice and original compositions. Kathy's latest 2013 release is a collaborative smooth jazz project with songwriter Gary Swann. The tune, Love is Like a Sunny Day, features Kelley O'Neal on Saxophone. Rice joined several other women musicians on the Bobby Pin Diaries movie soundtrack, which features her up-tempo tune, I've Gotta Find a Love for the February 2013 release. August 2012 marked the release of a beautiful gospel project...the recording of the Walter Hawkins remake of Jesus Christ is the Way, by Nuove Mystique. Rice is the lyric soprano in the group. The jazzy rendition was released on Audio State 55 and is distributed by the Warner Music Group.

Through her networking with other women musicians, Rice was a featured artist on the Women in Jazz South Florida Volume III compilation CD, released in December 2012. Her classic jazz piece, Cloak and Dagger Affair, heads the lineup of this eclectic mix of jazzy tunes. In 2011, Rice performed her mellow vocals on Marc Lacy's Narcoleptic CD on the track entitled, “Exodus.” In December 2010, Rice collaborated on a Soulful House project entitled, “Feeling the Heat” with world renown Dance/House music record producers Fabio Tosti and Francesco Tarantini on Music Plan Records out of Bari, Italy. Kathy Yolanda Rice tells real-life stories of love, faith and hope in musical compositions. Her debut CD, “After All These Years” released in 2004, is seasoned with a flavor of jazz and consists of 10 timeless contemporary tunes.

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because it inspires and relaxes me. I was first exposed to jazz in college. I met Roy Ayers in the late 70's. The best show I ever attended was in El Paso, Texas. It was an outdoor concert with Al Jarreau. The first jazz record I bought was Stanley Jordan's Magic Touch. I fell in love with Eleanor Rigby! My advice to new listeners is to have an open mind and enjoy the jazz journey.