Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dee Pitchlyn Anders. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Dee, thanks for joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
As the phrase goes “one thing bout me”, I’m gone do it all. That mentality comes from the way my parents encouraged me growing up. My mother, used to tell me ” you’re gonna be one of the best singin’, beautician, basketball, volleyball, softball playing, doctor, and artist when you grow up…..You go girl!”. I’d laugh when she’d say it but it inspired me and I never felt limited in my dreams. In her own funny little way, my mom was telling me that I could be, not just anything, but ALL the things I wanted to be. That sounded amazing to me because, when life brings you joy through several gifts that God gave you, who would want to choose only one gift to pursue for the rest of their life? I certainly do not! My parents possibly didn’t have the time or wherewithal to raise up a childhood Hollywood star, but they kept it real with me about the world and how I would have to move about in it.
The greatest challenge of my entire childhood was growing up in a school community where few boys and girls were Black, like myself. Although we remained few in numbers, we overcame numerous obstacles, others couldn’t understand, not being a student of color surrounded by so many other White peers. When it came to singing, I had grown woman chops but I had fun with it too. The very first musical I auditioned for in middle school, I landed the female lead role. The stage and audiences were like buddies to me at this point. Between local talent shows, doing an opening act for Shirley Caesar, singing in the church choir, and Sunday solos, I was well warmed up to them. However, my proud mother, holding one of her five degrees in performing arts, singing Gospel, and sitting front and center at every performance, had concerns about my first high school musical “Bye Bye Birdie”. “Why didn’t they pick you didn’t play role of Kim?…I know you sing better than any of those other girls in the school choir”. Not wanting to shade the sophomore who got the role, I could only say to my mom “I’m only a freshman and it probably won’t look right to have a Black Kim and a White Hugo… since none of the Black boys auditioned”. When it comes to things my parents did right, this story explains it with dignity and clarity. In this moment my mother made sure I knew that I was already amazing, I was the complete package and I should never accept less than my worth.
Additionally, being the youngest daughter of a blended family, mostly consisting of boy siblings and one older sister, I’m was not the “princess” most people think I should be. My father provided our family with a pretty good lifestyle, It was so good, I never shared a bedroom, not with one single sibling. With that said, nothing was handed to me in life. When I got my driver’s license at 15 and was ready for a car of my own, I realized after a series of unfortunate events where my dad tried to finesse me into a wood grained paneled station wagon I hated, that I was going to have to go get the car that I wanted. It wasn’t until I was an adult, a woman I knew well told me that I was a “go getter”. Not ever thinking of myself as such before, I reflected on my accomplishments and how I was raised and realized; a “go getter” was precisely what my daddy was grooming me to become. When it came to having a car as a teenager, my experience was not the norm. At the high school I attended in Western Wyandotte County of Kansas City, Kansas, it seemed normal for parents to buy cars for their teenagers like they bought school clothes; brand new and at the start of every school year. For me, my dad did his due diligence to educate me on the responsibility of owning a car. He taught me everything from car payments to car maintenance at 16 years old. My dad knew, when my heart was set on the light blue 94′ four door Saturn , with the price point sticker at $2400, there was no denying me. With money I earned in my savings account and my after school day care job, I was ready to bulldoze anything in the way of me going to “go get” that car. The car, the college degree, the music career, the teaching career, and life I have, if not for my Father in Heaven and with the fundamentals and life lessons taught by my parents, they all would not be.
It has taken me many years to perfect much of what my parents taught. Furthermore there are things that are yet a work in progress but based on the outcome of my current situation, I can say with confidence, my parents did a lot right and I, as well as my husband and children are blessed to have them.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
For those new to me, I am a singer and that is the heart of what I do. When it comes to my solo act I am a blend of the many variations of Gospel, (contemporary worship and inspirational music) R&B, Soul, Hip Hop, and Pop. When you book a show with me, it is my promise to the audience to make you want to sing along, dance, laugh out loud, lift their hands, experience love, appreciate life, and feel the presence of God in a unique way. I enjoy doing the cover songs that everyone loves but some of my favorites are Proud Mary by the late and amazing Tina Turner, Let’s Stay Together by Al Green, Love’s Taken Over by Chante Moore, PJ Morton’s Everything’s Gonna Be Alright, No Gray by Jonathan McReynolds, and Deliver Me by Donald Lawrence featuring Le’Andria Johnson.
I have unintentionally got into the business by simply making myself available locally to sing background vocals live, including celebrity background vocal performances. Singing background vocals has became a major component of what I do and I’ve grown to appreciate this part of the creative process so much more over time. It has enhanced my capabilities as a singer and really transformed my musically inclined ear. The best advice I would give to anyone wanting to become a better singer, is to get comfortable singing background vocals. Don’t sleep on the worship team either. Singers who love Jesus, often find their heart in worship in that space. But the truth is the BEST singers are on somebody’s worship team. You learn so many fundamentals as a BGV that are essential to singing professionally. Things such as; blending, ear training, studio versus live performance vocal techniques, stage presence and the list continues. I love to get in the studio and with a couple of good good “sanging folk” and get a good blend going. The blend is my vibe and singers are my tribe!
Additionally I record studio background vocals for other artists for their original songs and I am learning to record performance tracks for myself.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being a musical creative is being in position to inspire and encourage. As the old hymnal saying goes “I sing because I am happy. I sing because I’m free”. I like to say “I sing because God gave me the gift. I sing so that someone will be set free”. When God gets the glory out of my gift, I know His reward will be great.
Have you ever had to pivot?
2016-2019 was a pivotal season in my life as there were a few significant decisions I had to make at a time when things were already a hot mess, to be frank. The first was major life event was the birth of my little girl, the last of our children. Giving my husband and I a total of 3….She was not the hot mess, she was as I like to call her, our “Shoogar” because she made our lives sweet . However, with the rising cost of gas, diapers, and formula, making a decision to leave my nine to five and return to school full time was one of the hard adult decisions I had to make. Why? I realized that the opportunity for me to finish school was not going to become any easier. I only had a semester left to finish my bachelor’s degree. A degree I started upon graduating high school back in 2005 and stopped when I had my first born. Being a good mommy to him was top priority because, I was crazy about that little boy! Sure, I wanted to make my mom proud by graduating, but I wanted to do something to make myself proud even more. Even though I was a “starving artist” and working adult, I realized the career opportunities that were remotely attractive to me were NOT attainable without my degree.
Something people find interesting about me is that my dream job is being a teacher. I know…teacher as a dream job is not normal but neither am I. During my pivotal season, I was working in education but it was behind a cubical with a headset. I hated it and daily I had to motivate myself to return to work after my lunch break. As a creative, I did not fit in that cubical. When it comes to work, I need a much bigger creative space and it turns out the classroom is where it’s at for me. I am not ashamed to be a working individual and a musical creative. I love it here! I am in my bag singing and a teaching…Like Chaka Kahn said “it’s all in me”.
In 2017 we downsized from a house to an apartment, from two cars to one, and from two income earning household to a single income. I sit back and wonder how we did it. But I know for certain, had I chosen not to do it then, I would still be trying to figure out how to work while becoming an artist, when to finish school, and how to get a fulfilling job that pays better. These were humbling times but my life has changed forever as a result. Living in a time where it’s wise to make plans to become a fulltime entrepreneur, I still encourage artists to keep your day job until you are in a place where your creativity along with other streams of passive income can fund your lifestyle. Also find work that is fulfilling until you get there….That is for your peace of mind and so you won’t give up on your dreams.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @mrsdeeofkc
- Facebook: Dee Pitchlyn Anders