Jennifer Porter
Jennifer Porter is an award-winning musician, actor and screenwriter. A musician's musician blessed with a beautiful voice, Jennifer has performed a repertoire that spans from Jazz and Blues to Country and Opera. She has sung with Classical and Jazz Orchestras, including the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra. At heart though, Jennifer considers herself a roots musician, and is still most at home singing at the piano while banging out an old Blues tune in a red-hot 88 style.
Jennifer has recorded nine albums to date, and releases her newest - an entirely remixed and re-mastered imagining of her critically acclaimed album, Sun Come And Shine on February 14th, 2025. The new version is called Sun Come And Shine Redux and will be released by Overton Music, as Jennifer has recently joined the roster of artists at this exciting new Memphis label.
Jennifer’s 2024 album,Yes, I Do! featured Jennifer’s outstanding songwriting as well as her fantastic voice and rollicking piano playing. Joining her on this project were friend and Grammy nominee, C.J. Chenier, and Grammy winner Cindy Cashdollar. Yes, I Do! held the #1 spot on Roots Music Report’s Jazzy Blues Album Charts for 23 weeks, and songs from the album hit #1 on their Jazzy Blues Song Charts for 23 weeks as well. The album clinched the top spot on Roots Music Report’s Top Jazzy Blues Albums for the year 2024. Yes, I Do! also appeared on RMR’s Top 50 Blues Album Charts and Top 50 United States Album Charts, The Big Blues Charts, The NACC Radio Charts, The Australian Blues And Roots Airplay Charts, and Itunes Top 100 Blues Song Chart In The Netherlands.
Yes, I Do! went on to win a 2024 Josie Music Award for Jazz Album Of The Year in a ceremony held at The Grand Ol’ Opry in Nashville, and was nominated for three others. The title track from the album won a W.A.M. Music Award for Best Love Song, with four other songs from the album receiving nominations.
Jennifer's internationally critically-acclaimed album, Sun Come And Shine, recorded with legendary drummer Bernard Purdie, was released in June 2021. Jennifer was joined on this sensational project by Grammy winners Christian McBride and Cindy Cashdollar and Grammy nominees Rob Paparozzi and C.J. Chenier. The title track from Sun Come And Shine received a 2021 We Are The Music Makers award for Best Roots/Americana/Blues song. In this same competition, Jennifer was also nominated for Best Soul Song, Best Adult Contemporary Song, and Best Female Artist.
Sun Come And Shine also hit #1 on The Roots Music Reports Jazzy Blues Album Charts and stayed in the top 5 for ten weeks. Seven songs from the album also reached the top 10 on Roots Music Report’s Jazzy Blues Song Charts. Four songs from the album reached the top 10 (#2 being the highest position) on Portugal's Blues Radio Charts, with Portugal's Smooth FM naming Sun Come And Shine Album Of The Week. Her song Satin Shoes, from the album, reached #2 on Top Chart’s UK Radio Top 100 Blues Songs.
Jennifer’s previous album, These Years, which also received international critical-acclaim, was recorded with Grammy-winning producer Jay Newland and included special guests C.J. Chenier and Country Music Hall Of Famer, Charlie McCoy. These Years earned Jennifer a 2020 We Are The Music Makers award for Best Roots/Americana/Blues Album and a 2019 Independent Music Network award for Best Female Crossover Artist. She was nominated for four other Independent Music Network awards including Favorite Country Female Artist, and Favorite Female Mainstream Artist. The album hit #88 on Itunes Top 100 Albums chart in The Netherlands and #1 on New Music Weekly’s Country Charts.
Jennifer’s Jazz album Easy Living (2014), with Grammy-winning producer, Lawrence Manchester, was nominated for a 2015 Independent Music Award in the Jazz With Vocals category, and was heard on radio stations around the United States, including KJAZZ in Los Angeles, WWOZ in New Orleans, and Public Radio International’s Jazz After Hours. The album hit #35 on Itunes Top Jazz Albums chart in Germany.
Jennifer is also an esteemed actor, with more than 100 professional stage credits, including Patsy Cline in Always...Patsy Cline and Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire. She starred in, and composed and performed the film score for BALLAD OF IDA AND DOOB (1999) and wrote, starred in, and composed and performed the film scores for the critically acclaimed MR. BARRINGTON (2003), and the multiple award-winning 40 WEST (2011) for which Jennifer received awards for acting, original score, original song, and original screenplay.
Jennifer holds a second-degree black belt in Tai Jujitsu, and has advanced training in Kali and Jeet Kun Do. In 1989 Jennifer was the first vocalist in Maine inducted into the prestigious musical honor society, Pi Kappa Lambda, which recognizes excellence in both musical performance and academics. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, and learning new languages.
Jennifer is a proud member of SAG / AFTRA, and Actors Equity Association.
“Every month in Blues Matters the chances of our aural landscape becoming jaded are blown away by new discoveries. Jennifer Porter is one of those American vocalists who will always exist at the cutting edge of fine music...Her versatility is breath-taking.” - Blues Matters Magazine-U.K.
"As always, the immensely talented and unique voiced Porter sails her own course. So don't expect cliché rhythm & blues, blues and soul. No, Jennifer gives these genres their own twist. Feel free to call it the "Jennifer Porter twist"…"Sun Come And Shine" is another hit of an album. Jennifer's heavenly voice, her beautiful compositions, the detailed arrangements and the personal twist she manages to give to rhythm & blues, blues and soul, distinguish her from many artists. It is high time for this lady to break through internationally. Lambert Smits –Keys And Chords, BE
"In a mix of soul, blues and jazz, Jennifer's wonderful voice immediately captures you… A mix between the writing talent of a Carole King and the soul of Norah Jones, with all her skills on "Sun Come and Shine" showcased as an unparalleled masterpiece…For the entire album you stay under the spell of this woman, Jennifer Porter, after which we take a deep bow to her." - Rootsville, NL