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Petrella The First Lady of Country-Soul
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Garden-Mound Records
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Petrella "The First Lady of Country-Soul"
and her Foundation "Dreams of the Heartland"
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Dreams of the Heartland Foundation, Inc. is the 1996 brain child of Petrella. This 501(c)(3) has honored several charities by giving money and an event D.A.T.'s B.A.D. (Day after Thanksgiving Bazaar and Dance). The charities have included the Lupus Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Charitable Christian Medical Clinic, the Literacy Council and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). The past 2 years Dreams of the Heartland and Petrella have provided scholarships to help underpriveleged children who major in music or are full time members of the College Choir.
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"Petrella's vocals emit strong elements of soul, country, blues and rock and roll, and has her attracting a loyal following of fans crossing all lines of music taste."
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Yvonne Alexander and Dr. Shannon Fleming (both of Philander Smith College), and Petrella & William McCraw (representing Dreams of the Heartland Foundation) presenting scholarship to Philander Smith College in Little Rock, AR
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As the first female African-American country artist in the US, Petrella has caused a sensation since the release of her debut disc - COUNTRYVERSIAL - in 1993. Pioneering a new form of country flavored with soul, gospel and roots accents, Petrella landed on the cover of the respected industry trade publication CASHBOX in 1994, and has never looked back.
Her single "I Found Somebody" spent 14 weeks on the national Top 100 Country Singles Chart (peaked #52, two spots above Shania Twain, and 13 spots above Dolly Parton), followed by "Blues Stay Away from Me" (peak #68, with a music video being shown coast to coast from California to South Carolina). Famed recording artis/songwriter Brenda Russell even wrote a tune for Petrella, "When the Night Rolls In."
She has been nominated for New Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Performer of the Year by a variey of music industry organizations and publication between 1994-2004 including Nashville Tracker magazine and the Tennessee Songwriters Association.
Petrella has six nationally distributed albums to her credit including COUNTRYVERSIAL (1993), PAPA DID A RAINDANCE (2001), FIND A CURE (2002), HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (2003) WALK AROUND HEAVEN (2004) and the brand new DREAMS OF THE HEARTLAND. She has shared her music live in front of huge crowds such as the Country Music Fan Fest held in Pomona, California;been showcased on Ernest Tubb's Midnight Jamboree in Nashville, Tennessee;and appeared in more intimate settings like college cultural centers and auditoriums. She has shared stages with Gladys Knight, Tracy Lawrence, and others.
In 2003, she received the Golden Microphone Award at the Airplay International King Eagle Awards. In 2004, Petrella performed live at the King Eagle Awards show, where she receive the Producer's Choice Award. Later that year, she hosted the fourth annual D.A.T.'s B.A.D. gala "Showtime at the Horner", honoring the Charitable Christian Medical Clinics, as well as appeared in concert at venues throughout the South and Midwest (including Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Arkansas).
Petrella was born and raised in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and would have been a classmate of President Bill Clinton in the schools had been integrated. She grew up singing in church.
Petrella also donates her time and performs at many benefits and at charitable institutions such as the National Conference of the Lupus Foundation of America, the Pantage Theatre on behalf of the Long Beach (CA) Veterans Administration, the Pasadena (CA) Senior Citizens Center, and was a participant in the 2002 Winter Olympics Torch Relay. Petrella will be touring Colorado and Wyoming soon; please check her website www.countryversial.com for details.
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