It is a pleasure to welcome singer Audrey DuBois Harris as the guest for the 130th milestone episode of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast.

Audrey is a classically trained mezzo-soprano who has mastered various musical stylings such as gospel, jazz, opera, and sacred songs. She has performed on the world’s recognizable stages throughout her career, including the Apollo Theater, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, and St. David’s Hall in Cardiff, Wales. She also portrayed some of opera’s most notable characters, including La Boheme’s Mimi, The Marriage of Figaro’s Countess Almaviva, and the title roles of Aida and Porgy & Bess’ Bess.

One of Audrey’s most recognizable fans was the Queen of Soul herself – the late Aretha Franklin. The “Chain of Fools” singer requested Audrey DuBois Harris to perform at several concert events, including Aretha Franklin Present: A Two Night Revival, Aretha Presents GospelFest, and Aretha Franklin Present: The Gospel Legends. Ms. Franklin’s family personally requested Audrey to perform at the 18-time Grammy-winning artist’s Celebration of Life service in Detroit, Michigan.

In addition to her association with Ms. Franklin, Audrey worked with Civil Rights icon Reverend Jesse Jackson to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. He also invited Audrey to perform at the annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee service to commemorate “Bloody Sunday” on Alabama’s Edmund Pettus Bridge. She marched with Reverend Jackson and the late U.S. Representative John Lewis.

Audrey has also performed for several different foundations. She sang for the American Red Cross, Midnight Run, PepsiCo Foundation, Saved for Life, and the Stroke of Hope. In addition, Audrey DuBois also shared her passion for music with younger generations through her vocal masterclasses and seminars.

In this edition of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Audrey spoke about Aretha Franklin’s impact on her career and why she chose the tracks for her latest album: Lift Every Voice.