Debbie Kirkland

Jazz singer Debbie Kirkland began singing as a child and attended the Duke Ellington School of Performing Arts in DC, where one of her classmates was future opera diva Deniece Graves. During her late teens, Kirkland spent a summer performing in a street theater program. While in college, one of Kirkland's favorite nightspots was Charlie's, a Georgetown jazz club whose stage hosted Rosemary Clooney, George Shearing, Mel Tormé and Nancy Wilson. One night at Charlie's, Wilson was introduced to Kirkland by D.C. jazz guitarist Bill Harris. The jazz legend became one of Kirkland's m...