Female Vocalist
United States
Biography
Jazz vocalist Erin Dickins, a founding member of The Manhattan Transfer, has enjoyed the kind of career singers dream about. After five years with the group, she continued to expand her musical horizons, emerging as one of the top vocalists in New York City. Dickins performed, toured and recorded with such notable artists as Leonard Cohen, Bette Midler, James Taylor, The Talking Heads, James Brown, Barry Manilow, Jaco Pastorius and Ashford & Simpson, to name but a few. Dickins continues to perform and record, enchanting audiences throughout the world. Ms. Dickins was recently awarded the prestigious Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award. She was also the recipient of the “Best Jazz Vocalist” honor awarded in 2012 by CoffeeTalk Jazz Radio in Los Angeles.
Dickins is no newcomer to the food world. She studied at the New York Restaurant School and taught herself the Escoffier Method. She was an active member of Les Amis du Vin in New York City, and in 1978, opened a Manhattan eatery called “Possible 20” with a consortium comprised of 20 world-class recording musicians. “Possible 20” quickly became the hang-out for the entire New York recording and theatre scenes. Dickins also managed and was frequently seen creating magic in the kitchen at “Jose Sent Me” – a Tex-Mex café founded by the same group.
In 2014, Ms. Dickins released her new cookbook, “Sizzle & Swing – Jazzin’ Up Food” a delightful combination of food and song pairings (CD included) with stories about Dickins’ musical adventures. She also debuted her new line of herbal seasonings which shares the moniker Sizzle & Swing TM.
The line of products will expand to include condiments, salad dressings and other culinary items. All are designed to make delicious meal preparation simple and available to home cooks at all levels of proficiency. Dickins combines her passions for food and music by offering cooking classes, demonstrations, concerts and benefits to raise awareness about hunger in America by highlighting local charities and engaging their communities to address hunger on a local level.
Ms. Dickins serves on the board of directors of American Jazz Venues, a New York based 501 (c)3 organization dedicated to engendering a passion for jazz in younger audiences. Additionally she serves on the board of the Bravissimo Foundation, whose mission is to assist the classical and jazz musician in becoming viable in their field though recordings and performances. Ms. Dickins continues to offer workshops for students at SummerFame, a program she founded in Easton, Maryland in 2000 to provide performing arts programs for children of all ages. She lives in Phoenixville Pa. and Easton, Md. with her husband Tony and their beloved Cocker Spaniels.