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Betty Joplin

BETTY JOPLIN GRAMMY NOMINATED VOCALIST ASCAP’s ABE OLMAN SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT NAIRD AWARD RECIPIENT

Betty's mother recognized her God-given talent when she was 3 years old. At the age of 4, (so young and small her feet were unable to reach the piano pedals) she was being invited to sing and accompany herself on piano at various churches in her home town, Jackson, Michigan. By age 7, the church appointed her pianist for church services as well as for the church choir. She continued to do so until age 17 when she got married. By the age of 19, she had 3 children and was divorced (she later had one more child). Needless to say, she put all dreams of a musical career on hold in order to raise her four children and to maintain a job to support them.

One summer, when 3 of her 4 children were teenagers, a couple of her musician friends convinced her to go with them to a night club at Lake James in Indiana where they were playing, and eventually coaxed her to join them on stage to sing a couple of songs. She loved singing and the audience loved her. She did not go back to the club the following week; however, there was such a demand for her that the owner of the night club asked the musicians to have her call him. He offered her a job singing on weekends at the club for the rest of the summer, which helped to put food on the table. This was the beginning of her professional career.

Just when Betty seemed to be surviving the struggle of single parenting, job, and career, her oldest son was killed in an automobile accident. Needless to say, it was devastating. However, because of her Faith in God, memories of her deceased son's love and his desire for her to 'make it in the Music Business’, the Lord gave her the stamina to keep the dream alive.

Since then, Betty has performed throughout the United States, Hawaii, Europe, Mexico, and Asia. She has worked with many wonderful musicians, including the late Arthur Prysock with whom she recorded ‘A ROCKIN’ GOOD WAY’ and received a Grammy Nomination, ‘THIS GUY’S IN LOVE WITH YOU’, and also appears on ‘THE BEST OF ARTHUR PRYSOCK’, all on Milestone/Fantasy Label. She also sang and toured with the Duke Ellington Orchestra under the direction of the late Mercer Ellington, and has been requested to perform by the one and only Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin on several occasions.

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