The Whitney Family

A renowned Los Angeles area entertainer, Louise Whitney began singing professionally at just 17 in Portland, OR, and has an impressive career that's spanned some 50 years. In the 1960s she toured with legends of soul Solomon Burke and Johnny Otis. Later, under the moniker Whitney, Whitney & Whitney, she performed with her brother Jimmy (James) Whitney (a Carlos Santana alumnus) and sister Mary Lee Whitney (who would go on to become a member of Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove, and be the featured female vocalist on his hit Songs In The Key of Life single AS). Local celebrities, the trio were L.A. area nightclub staples. Louise had a thriving solo career as well, and in 1969 was tapped by Quincy Jones to perform He Said He Loves Me on the soundtrack to the Sidney Poitier film, The Lost Man. She also performed the Emmy Award nominated Early In The Morning from 1977's Minstrel Man, starring Glynn Turman. With all this music going on around them, it was only natural that Louise's kids - sons Glynn, Nick, Phillip and Ray, and daughters Tracey, Cozette, and twins Louise and Louanda, would start to mimic the grown-ups, who were always rehearsing or performing. Whitney took note of her children's natural talent, and together they would go on to become the singing powerhouse, The Whitney Family, debuting at the famed Coconut Grove in Los Angeles in 1971. At the time the kids (who all sang lead and backup vocals) ranged in age from 5 (the twins) to 13 (Glynn). The Whitney Family toured the U.S. and abroad, played Las Vegas and Tahoe (opening for acts like Debbie Reynolds), and shared the stage with Ginger Rogers, Donny and Marie Osmond and even former First Lady, Nancy Reagan. They recorded albums for Warner Curb Records (Airways featured Let Me Be Your Woman, a Billboard magazine Top Singles Pick), and United Artists Records. They made guest appearances on several local and national TV shows, including Burt Sugarman's famed The Midnight Special and the Lou Rawls Parade of Stars. They were featured in several teen magazines, most notably Tiger Beat and Right On! The Whitney Family performed together for 20 years, until the "kids" began raising families of their own. In 1991 Whitney's eldest daughter, Tracey, toured with the "Genius of Soul" Ray Charles, joining the sorority of fabled and world-renowned Raelettes. Tracey Whitney later launched her own independent label, BabyDoll Entertainment & Records, releasing 2 self-produced CD's, 2007's Love... A Fable In 9 Acts, and 2012's I Am Singing... Songs I Love. Louise Whitney relocated to Las Vegas, NV in 2009, and continues to do session work and perform her solo act in area casinos and nightclubs. Tracey (now living in Albuquerque, NM), Glynn, Ellis Ray and Cozette also carry on the family tradition, and perform and/or record regularly.