Dee Dee Mac

Students, faculty and members of the public enjoyed a captivating performance by Dee Dee McNeil and Dwight Dickerson Quartet held at American University of Sharjah (AUS) yesterday, February 17th 2010. A multi-talented vocalist, singer, songwriter, poet, journalist, producer, playwright and educator, Dee Dee McNeil has won renown for her art all over the world. As a contract songwriter for Motown Records in her native Detroit, Michigan, many legendary artists have recorded her music including: Diana Ross and The Supremes, Gladys Knight and The Pips, David Ruffin, Edwin Star, The Four Tops, Nancy Wilson, Rita Marley, Kiki Dee, Jonah Jones, Side Effect, and the rapper 'Styles.' She was a contributing member of the historic rap group, The Watts Prophets, now recognized as one of the major forerunners of contemporary hip hop music. She was one of the first women to rap in the late '60s and early 70's, speaking up as an articulate champion for women's rights. One of her raps about respect for women was used as the televised theme song during New Zealand's Miss Universe Contest in 1983. The plays she has written are based on historic figures and their musical contributions.

In 2001, Dee Dee McNeil won the BET (Black Entertainment Television Network) Jazz Discovery Competition and appeared in concert on BET's internationally syndicated television program. As a writer and syndicated columnist, her articles and CD reviews have appeared in Cadence Magazine, All About Jazz, Pathfinders Travel Magazine and the Michigan Chronicle Newspaper. Dee Dee chairs the Artist Development program, and is a seasoned vocal instructor and arranger for CCM's vocal ensembles. The quartet is led by Dr. Dwight Dickerson, who is an associate professor in the AUS Visual and Performing Arts Program, on piano. It features some of the best professional musicians in the area, including Nabil Amarshi (from Canada) on bass, Mike Penneguy (from Australia) on drums, and Jino Kim (from the USA) on alto sax.

The concert was organized and presented by the AUS Cultural Events Committee.

Dee Dee McNeil, President of Great Legends and Great Music Company, is a singer, songwriter and producer. She has owned and operated two publishing companies for the past 20 years.

These companies have published her internet novel, "Jooziefruit". Additionally, they published and promoted a book of her original poetry that was labeled a BOOKARD, because it comes in an envelope like a greeting card and can be mailed to someone in a similar manner. This project is entitled, "Perfumed Moments".

Ms. McNeil's published poetry credits include: In 1997, the re-release of an anthology of Black Love Poems entitled, "A Rock Against The Wind," edited by Lindsay Patterson, with a foreward by Ruby Dee. In this anthology she joins the ranks of other great African-American poets, specifically Pearl Cleage, Quincy Troupe, Dudley Randall, Sonia Sanchez, Nikki Giovanni, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Alice Walker and more. This anthology was first published by Dodd, Mead & Co. in hardcover and rejuvenated in softbound - Published by Berkeley in New York .

Her work has also appeared in the Mira Costa College Annual poetry Anthology book, "Tide Pools" on two different occasions - Oceanside , California ; Broadside Press Anthology - Detroit , Michigan ; Catalyst Magazine - Atlanta , Georgia ; and she was the female part of The now historic Watts Prophets spoken-word group who recorded and coined the phrase "rap" long before it was popular. Because of this association, Dee Dee McNeil has been referred to as the "Mother of Rap" in history books originating in Southern California and was recorded on their "Rappin' Black In a White World" album released in 1971, singing her original music, playing piano and reciting her original poetry along with the three male members of the group.

Her publishing companies have also administrated her self-penned music over the years. Before this she was a contract songwriter for Jobete Publishing, the publishing arm of Motown Record Company for many years. Artists who have recorded her songs are Gladys Knight & the Pips, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Four Tops, Edwin Starr, KiKi Dee, Reed man - Jonah Jones, David Ruffin, Side Effect, Nancy Wilson, Reggae artist - Rita Marley, Ripple, The Precisions, Barbara Mercer, Lomita & Eddie, Jonah Jones, gospel artist - Lexi, The Watts Prophets and Ms. McNeil herself. Dee Dee McNeil founded the company "Great Legends & Great Music" when she returned to her hometown of Detroit , Michigan and recognized the need for an enterprise that would encourage and polish the raw talent she spotted in and around the Motor City .

Dee Dee is a multi-talented vocalist, poet and songwriter who recently wrote and produced a unique musical play, using a group consisting of some of Detroit 's top singers. She has a background in publicity and publishing, as well as owning and operating Double Dee Production & Publishing Company, based in Encinitas, California.

Establishing her own record label "Dee Square Records, in 1997 she released her premiere CD entitled "Where Can Our Leaders Be". It was soon picked up and internationally distributed by USA Records in California . In 2000, Ms. McNeil released the second CD of her catalogue featuring legendary drummer Bill Dowdy, former founder and member of the internationally acclaimed Jazz Trio, "The Three Sounds". Mr. Dowdy is currently the only living member of that group. This CD is entitled, "The Bill Dowdy Jazz Trio Plus Dee Dee McNeil" and was recorded 'Live' at the Discovery Theater in Battle Creek , Michigan.

Ms. McNeil was the first female, African-American Publicist for a major record label in Hollywood to establish a premiere comprehensive press list to service African-American newspapers and magazines across the country. In 1973 she recognized that these publications had previously been over-looked or ignored by major record labels. This helped to elevate sales of recordings on the A & M Record label and brought to the attention of other record labels the potential of black press and advertising in the African-American community. As a result of her publicity achievements, she was offered a job with United Artists/Blue Note Records as the first African-American female Press and Media Coordinator for that label.

Great Legends & Great Music Company ventured into the world of theater in 1999, producing and funding the production of a locally successful musical play that Ms. McNeil wrote .It was directed by Ron Milner. Positive reviews can be found in the following newspapers and magazines: The Detroit News; The Chronicle; Detroit Jazz Magazine; The Detroit Free Press.