Miche Braden (born November 14, 1953) is a jazz singer and theatrical performer known for her on-stage portrayals of
Bessie Smith and
Billie Holiday.[1][2] Braden, who is originally from Detroit, originated the Bessie Smith role and has been performing it since 2000 in ‘The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith’.[3][4] Braden has been called "the biggest force of nature this side of Hurricane Harvey."[5][6] She has performed in the musical nationwide, including an off-Broadway run in 2001 and again in 2011, as well as acting as the musical director and writing songs.[7] She was nominated for a Helen Hayes award for her performance in 2018.[8]
Personal life
Braden was born in Detroit, Michigan, and attended
Mackenzie High School and
Cooley High School. She later attended
Michigan State University.[9] While in Detroit, Braden was an artist in residence with the Detroit Council of the Arts. She also founded a women's jazz band called Straight Ahead. She describes herself as a protégé of Motown musicians Thomas "Beans" Bowles,
Earl Van Dyke and jazz master composer Harold McKinney.[7]