In Atlanta, it has been my delight for many years to harmonize with Joyce Williams and Jacqueline Howard aka Joyce & Jacque. Joyce & Jacque have been singing together since their days at Spelman College. As a duo they have shared the stage with powerhouse singers Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, The Pointer Sisters, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Nina Simone, and Odetta. Their recordings “Higher Ground,” “Sing A New Song,” and “Revive Us Again,” and their electrifying live performances have earned them many awards including the New South Music Award for Best Folk Band and the NAACP Freedom Fund Award honoring their contribution to black music alongside Dottie Peoples, Outkast and The Pips.
JACQUELINE HOWARD is a composer and singer extraordinaire. She teaches Music History at Morehouse College and is the founding director of Ms. Gussie’s Place, a center for children challenged with multiple different abilities. Jacque is also a multi-instrumentalist and prolific painter.
JOYCE WILLIAMS is the stellar and adored music teacher at Hamilton E. Holmes Elementary and also teaches private voice lessons. She is a singer par excellence and composes songs for young audiences as well as adults.
Together Elise, Joyce & Jacque find novel ways to breathe new life into the music that they love, from Bob Marley and Harry Belafonte, to French chansons, musical games, and their own compositions. A session with these musicians is a rollicking good time – be ready to join in the fun!