...surrounded by the animated sounds of her mother's Pentecostal church choir and the blues...
E rnie Shelby's first passion is music. Shelby was surrounded by the animated sounds of her mother's Pentecostal church choir and the blues she and her brother heard when her father sneaked them out of the house to local clubs. Now an accomplished alto saxophonist, entrepreneur, poet, songwriter, and singer, Shelby supports her music by working as fiscal officer for Project Learn, a Chicago nonprofit that administers fifteen daycare and Head Start centers. Through her company EDSAS, she also provides bookkeeping and tax preparation for a variety of churches, daycare centers, and individuals.
S helby performs regularly with the Gary-based blues band Fabulous Kings and solo for weddings, churches, and clubs (she is pictured here performing at the Richardson wedding held at Marquette Park in Gary). Currently she is producing a collection of female voices from the Calumet Region through her recording company Dimples Co., named for her distinctive dimples when she plays.
Photos by Erin Roth
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