With a voice that takes the listener on a journey through the history of the African American experience, Katrenia Jefferson is a force to be reckoned with on and off stage. The oldest of five children, a mother of five herself (four girls and one boy) and a native of Jackson, MS, Katrenia sang her first solo at the age of 8 in an elementary school program where she wowed the audience with the maturity of her vocals and stage presence. Shortly after this performance, Katrenia joined her mother’s gospel singing group; The Gospel Flames and the local community church choir. As a member of both these groups Katrenia cut her stage teeth touring the eastern seaboard, and areas all around the Northern U.S. Katrenia went on to record her first gospel record with The Greater Fairview Young Adult Choir at Malaaco Records and as a gospel singer has shared the stage with great performers such as Shirley Caesar, Dorothy Norwood, Joe Lion and the Mighty Clouds of Joy. Never one to be still or satisfied Katrenia went on to stretch her wings expanding into the R&B, Blues and Southern Soul genres working closely with composer/songwriters Harrison Callaway and Rue Davis who along with her mentor Frederick Knight are all tremendous inspirations in her life. This new path in her life found her working with the 70’s hit band Sho-Nuff and later when the band was reorganized by Sky Chambers Katrenia continued to tour with them under their new name EXAM. After recording her first R&B CD with Finesse Entertainment, her smash hit “Cause I Love You”, a Lenny Williams cover, helped launch her onto a new world stage. At a time when most people would have taken a rest, Katrenia threw herself into her career and also worked to promote her daughter Soul’s career as her mother had once done for her. Katrenia has been featured on the Medgar Evers/B.B. King Annual Mississippi Homecoming extravaganza sharing the stage with the legendary B.B. King. Her travels have taken her to Japan, Nigeria, Guam and many more places too numerous to list. Along with her singing career Katrenia has been an advocate for women’s health. A diagnosis of breast cancer in 2009 caused her to change direction once again. With that famous flair for life and ever-present smile, Katrenia launched herself into the fight to conquer the disease. As host for the American Cancer Society Gala in 2010 she brought the house down. Her testimony is her life and today Katrenia says life has never been better. She is currently performing with J. Blackfoot and many others in the world of Southern Soul. She was a special guest of WMPR talk show host Michael Henderson and is part of the Magnificent Ladies civic group and has tirelessly donated her time to the Jackson Police Department’s Toys for Tots campaign each year. She is currently recording her second CD.