Meet Tamara!

Tamara Wellons is a celebrated and soulful vocalist whose music resonates with the timeless essence of rhythm and blues. Her artistry spans from place-based storytelling to dance music, capturing the hearts of audiences worldwide. Her latest album, Months of Sundays, was co-produced by her husband and music partner, Kinard Cherry, and mixed by the legendary engineer Dave Pensado. It follows three acclaimed records—Life Is (2008), Songs for Janie (2012), and Pretty(2016)—each contributing to her impressive career. Tamara has graced renowned stages, including Washington, DC’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the legendary Blues Alley in DC, the Richmond Jazz Festival, and London’s Jazz Café. With over two decades of experience, she recently delivered a stunning tribute to the legendary artist Dionne Warwick at her alma mater, Bowie State University, in April 2023.

Tamara’s deep connection to the underground House Music community, paired with her unique vocal style and poetic songwriting, has led to collaborations with notable names and labels in dance music. She has worked with Ocha Records, Osunlade (Yoruba Records), Soul Candi Records (South Africa), DJ Oji (Poji Records), DJ Spen (Quantize Records), GRAMMY winner Roger Sanchez (Stealth Records), Lars Behrenroth (Deeper Shades Recordings), and DJ Spinna (New York).

Tamara’s versatility also extends to the theatrical stage. Her 2012 album Songs for Janie was a theatrical concert interpretation of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, which led to a performance alongside Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker (The Color Purple).

Beyond her performances, Tamara has made profound contributions at the intersection of arts and healing. She pioneered the Arts in Healing Program at Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Northern Virginia through the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts’ AIR Program and serves as a mentor at Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute’s Sound Rounds, a bedside music program. Her expertise in integrating music into healthcare settings has been highlighted in publications such as Music as Care: Artistry in the Hospital Environment by Dr. Sarah Hoover of Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute.

Tamara is also the founder of Creative Rx, a business dedicated to using the arts to promote healing, and Young Artists and Musicians Zone (YAMZ), a learning-based program that brings cultural enrichment and creativity to schools and hospitals. Her dedication to advancing music as a healing force throughout the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area has profoundly impacted patients, families, and educational and healthcare professionals, leaving a lasting legacy of culture, care, and connection.

Featured In…