The Shirley Wahls Singers

Shirley Wahls comes from a rich family background of musicians, singers, and dancers. Under her parents' guidance, by the age of three she is already singing in children's choirs and Sunday school shows.At the age of thirteen, Wahls makes her first professional tour with her uncle Aaron "T-Bone" Walker as an opening act, where she finds desire to really want to sing, while under his tutelage.

After attending Toogaloo College, and the American Conservatory of Music, Shirley Wahls sets out to be a lead soloist. She joins and performs during several years with such famous gospel groups as the ARGO SINGERS, the WARD SINGERS, the DOROTHY NORWOOD SINGERS, and with META-FOUR, a group under the leadership of the late Reverend ROBERT MAYES. SHIRLEY WAHLS performs for the first time in Europe with the DOROTHY NORWOOD SINGERS in the mid-sixties as part of the "AMERICAN SPIRITUAL & GOSPEL FESTIVAL" with other great singers as the GOSPELAIRES of Dayton, Ohio, the legendary Reverend SAMUEL KELSEY, and the HARMONIZING FOUR.

She also tours Japan with the WARD SINGERS and performs again with ROBERT MAYES in Germany, Holland, and Italy where they are invited to sing for Amnesty International. After the death of ROBERT MAYES she decides to form her own group, the SHIRLEY WAHLS SINGERS. And she is able to attract some of the best living Chicago singers: Tecora Rogers and Ann Bridges, two renowned soloists, Delores Washington, originally with the CARAVANS, Roxciana Watkins, originally with the DOROTHY NORWOOD SINGERS, and Maestro Herald "Chip" Johnson (pianist and vocalist), originally Assistant to the Musical Director at the Christ Universal Temple Church, of which Shirley Wahls is a member and lead soloist for the Temple Ensemble.

A few years later Delores Washington has to give up touring for family reasons. She is replaced by Felica Welch. The SHIRLEY WAHLS SINGERS perform for the first time in Europe in 1994 at the BERN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL. They distinguish themselves by their close and magnificent harmonies and their songs are arranged with great art and refinement. All singers are talented soloists, who express themselves in a variety of styles, and possess a wide array of beautiful and contrasting voices. A group to be heard over and over again...