Artist Biography

Called a “Voice that is unforgettable!” by Deborah Roberts of ABC New York. Abby Burke is a vocal artist that invites her audience into a musical world that fills them with joy, reflection and elation. Her areas of expertise include Cabaret, Jazz, Musical Theater and Classical song styles. Along with her vocal/opera and Musical Theater studies at both New England and Boston Conservatories and the Hartt School at the University of Hartford in Connecticut, Abby holds a Bachelors of Arts and a Masters Degree in Education from Cambridge College, MA with a major emphasis in the psychology of music and its effect on human nature. Via her research she is a faculty member at the Nashville TN Jazz Workshop, teaching Beginning, Intermediate and Advance Performance Techniques and a sought after clinician for master classes at several area colleges.

All the Rage Magazine states that Abby has a “Rafter Raising Voice….” In December of 2003 her “rafter raising voice” brought down the house at the Bellsouth Roy Acuff Theater as Sister Mary Hubert in the musical “Nuncrackers-the Christmas Nunsense” with Nashville’s Celebrity Players. In May of 2004, to rave reviews, she was seen as the “Nell” character in the TN Repertory Theater production of Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” During the 2004 Christmas season at the Alabama Theatre in Myrtle Beach, SC, she was a featured artist in their “One for the Holiday’s” production. Considered a ground breaking experience, Abby was the first African-American to perform in this show in its 12 year history.

Her most recent orchestral appearances as soloist were with the Nashville Symphony in July on their “2006 NSO in the Park Concert Series.” She also appeared as a guest artist, with this same orchestra, on their September 2006 “Tribute to Ray Charles Concert” at the new Schemerhorn Symphony Hall. Abby acted as featured vocalist on the November 2006 release (Naxos Label) of the Nashville Symphony’s recording of the music of Leonard Bernstein’s Ballet “Fancy Free.”

The Nashville Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Paul Gambill, invited Abby to be a part of their “Celebrating the Human Spirit Concert” September 10 and 11, 2004 at the Blair School’s Ingraham Hall and then asked her back for their “Concert of Thanksgiving 2005 with gospel great Walter Hawkins” at the Bellsouth Roy Acuff Theater at Opryland and on their “Concert of Thanksgiving 2006 with Wynonna and Donna Summer” at the Schemerhorn Symphony Hall.
Abby, along with a few of her musical friends, provided the entertainment at the recently held 2006 Fest de Ville celebration “Night of the King” at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center for TPAC Education.

As a recording artist, along with the release of her own album in 2005, she was a part of the 2006 Grammy winning children’s album “Songs from the Neighborhood: the music of Mister Rogers” which was produced by 2 time Grammy winning producer Dennis Scott.

Along with acting as soloist with some of America’s great orchestras, including the Boston and Nashville Symphony Orchestras, Abby has performed with such jazz and pop greats as celebrated jazz pianist/vocalist Beegie Adair, trumpeter Donald Byrd and his Blackbirds, the dynamic Patti LaBelle, has performed for former Vice President Al Gore; Isaac Hayes as part of the 2005 Governors Awards in the Arts in TN celebration. Abby is one of two vocalists who were awarded the “the 2005 Tennessee Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship in Vocal Arts.” She has performed with such gospel greats as James Cleveland, Shirley Ceasar and many others. Abby briefly toured as a back ground vocalist with 70’s great Engelbert Humperdinck.

As a contemporary artist, Abby enjoys partying as lead vocalist with her “Manly Band.” Her debut CD “Finally!-The Album, Abby Burke featuring the Manly Band” is available at Davis-Kidd Nashville, iTunes and at Cdbaby.

Artist Mission

Music Influences