Shaw, Marlena, 1942-

Singer and entertainer Marlena Shaw was born September 22, 1942 in New Rochelle, New York and grew up with a love of music. She attended the State Teachers’ College in Potsdam, New York, but left to pursue her dream of being a singer. By the mid-1960s she was performing regularly for audiences in the Catskills and Playboy clubs in New York. Shaw became a soul artist and began recording on the Bluenote label in the early 1970s. By the mid- 1970s disco music was beginning to influence the sound of Bluenote and it was at this time that Marlena released 12 major hits. She switched to the Columbia record label in 1977 to increase record sales and has been a respected recording artist for many labels since then.

Shaw continues performing in clubs around the country. Her sound includes jazz, soul, pop and classic, however, Shaw has never strayed far from her jazz roots.