1. Early life

2. Career

3. References

4. External links

5. Updated

Early life

Katrina C. Willis was born in Kettering, Ohio, the youngest of four children. Her pianist mother was the daughter of classically trained pianist and vocalist Edwina Mae Divers; her father was a poet as well as a composer and arranger—also the son of musicians—a classically trained pianist and vocalist mother and a violinist, arranger, composer father.

In 1977, in her father’s hometown of Buffalo, NY, the four Willis children formed a church-based quartet. This led Katrina to immerse herself in her father’s music collection, which would shape the vocal and musical direction Katrina would take for years thereafter. A product of decidedly religious parents, she sat down at a friend's drum set at an Ohio church event in 1985 and begin to play after being given a few simple instructions. Through her drumming mentor, she developed her drumming skills in Cincinnati, Ohio after graduating from Kettering Fairmont High School in 1989.

Willis joined the Cincinnati-based gospel group Heaven’s Choice as both drummer and singer. During her college years at the University of Cincinnati, she continued playing drums and singing with local groups, but memories of her father’s poetry-filled journals led her to venture into songwriting. While at the University of Cincinnati, she also found opportunities to learn music production and vocal arranging. She completed her degree in English Literature in 1994.

Career

After graduation, Willis set out, with her experience in song writing, production, and performance, on a quest to “make it” in the music business. She moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1996 after being introduced to musician Ian Burke. Through opportunities and guidance from many people, she began to establish herself as a songwriter, and to write music for the some of those whose music had influenced her.

In 1998 through Ian Burke's affiliation with So So Def Records founder Jermaine Dupri and his publishing company Air Control Music, then EMI Music Publishing^[7][8] Executive Leotis Clyburn signed her to a co-publishing deal under EMI/Air Control Music (acquired in 2018 by Sony/ATV.) As a writer with EMI Music Publishing/Air Control Willis had the opportunity to collaborate with various writers, artists, and producers.^[7] She collaborated with artist Lathun Grady and producer Jonathan Smith (of Lil Jon and the Eastside Boys) on the 1998 release So So Def Bass All Stars Vol. 3. From there, a number of projects followed, many culminating in releases. One such collaboration was with producer Laney Stewart with whom she joined forces on Chante Moore's fourth studio Album Exposed (2001).

Willis's song "Just So You Know", co-written with Laney Stewart and Tab, was included on Kandi's 2000 album Hey Kandi...^[9]

Teaming up with Moore provided an avenue shortly thereafter, for Katrina to step into the theatrical arena when Chante Moore and Kenny Latimore launched their duet album Things That Lovers Do (2003) along with the stage play of the same name, which the then couple used to promote the record. Katrina's involvement in the musical theater production as an actress and background vocalist led her to step out from behind the scenes as a songwriter and producer; in 2004 she recorded and released her own album, through her own independent label Willisongs, Inc,^[10]. titled K. Willis & The Collection^[11], a collection of works from the extensive catalog of songs she’d built over time. Her debut effort achieved success locally through grass-roots promotion and performances at some of Atlanta’s premiere underground venues such as Apache Cafe, Club Vinyl (now Center Stage), and The Tabernacle.

Since the release of her solo debut, Katrina has continued to write songs, while also working on screenwriting for film and television.

References

External links

• [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/katrina-willis-mn0000653763 Katrina Willis Discography]
• [https://www.discogs.com/artist/245843-Katrina-Willis?filter_anv=0&type=Credits Katrina Willis Credits]
• [https://hamadamania.com/2017/03/15/musicians-galore-kandi-burruss/ Katrina Willis Musicians’ Galore Songwriters]
• {{IMDb name|5923364}}
• KATRINA WILLIS Warner/Chappell Composer
• [https://www.instagram.com/katrinacwillis/ Instagram]

Updated

• Skorobishte
• Skorobišta
• Skorobogatova
• Skorohodove
• Skorokhod
• Skorokhodov
• Skorokhodova
• Skorokhod's theorem (disambiguation)
• Skorokoro
• Skoromnyy, Andrey Mikhaylovich
• Skoronski
• Skoronski, Anthony
• Skoropis′
• Skoropuskovsky
• Skorpa fangeleir
• Skorpio (Argentina)
• Skorpio (Argentine magazine)
• Skorpio (magazine)
• Skorpionite
• Skorpion (TV series)
• Skorpion und Felix
• Skorpion und Felix, Humoristischer Roman
• Skor sang na
• Skor-Sten i den tidlosa tiden
• Skorthalia