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Lonette McKee`s career began in the music industry in Detroit, Michigan as a child prodigy, where she started writing music/lyrics, singing, playing keyboards and performing professionally at the age of seven. At fourteen she recorded her first record, which became an instant reginal Pop/R&B hit. McKee wrote the title song for the film `Quadroon` when just fifteen. She has written and produced three solo LPs, the most recent, `Natural Love`, for Spike Lee`s Columbia 40 Acres and A Mule lable. McKee scored the music for a well-received cable documentary on the lower Manhattan African Burial Ground, as well as numerous infomercials. She has toured extensively throughout the world in concert performances, including the JVC Jazz Festival at Carnegie Hall. McKee continues to write and produce music, as well as mentor and help develope young musical talent. She offers consultation and coaching to young performers.
Her feature film credits include; `Sparkle`, `Cuba`, `Which Way Is Up` and `Brewsters Millions` - both opposite the legendary Richard Pryor; `The Cotton Club` and `Gardens of Stone` for Francis Coppola; `Lift`, for which she earned a Black Reel nomination. Other films include `Honey`, `Men of Honor`, `Round Midnight` for the great filmmaker Bertrand Tavenier, `Jungle Fever`, `Malcolm X`, `He Got Game` and `She Hate Me` for Spike Lee. Television mini series and films include; `Women of Brewster Place`, for which she received an NAACP nomination, `Having Our Say`, `Queen` with Halle Berry, `To Dance with Olivia` "For Love of Olivia` - both opposite Louis Gossett Jr. for CBS television network and `Blind Faith` for Showtime Cable Network. Lonette also received an NAACP nomination for her appearences on the long-running CBS soap opera `As The World Turns`.
Recently, Lonette did a recurring role on the NBC hit drama `Third Watch`. She was recognized in People Magazine`s `Fifty Most Beautiful` issue. She studied film directing at The New School in New York and apprenticed film directing with Spike Lee. She teaches a master acting workshop at Centenary College in New Jersey, where she serves as an adjunct professor in the theater arts department. Lonette is currently producing her feature film `Dream Street` with Spike Lee, which she wrote and will direct.
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(as Vanetta)
with Richard Pryor
(as Leroy Jones | Rufus Jones | Reverend Lenox Thomas)
in Which Way Is Up? (1977)
Began career as a recording artist in Detroit as a child music prodigy. signed with the Detroit-based M-S label and put out a record which became a regional hit at fourteen years old. Released an album, Lonette McKee, on the Sussex label with the same producers, Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey in 1974.
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