Deleon Richards Sheffield studied
voice with Chicago music teacher Sandra Leconte in her teen years. Deleon
Richards was a child star in the gospel music industry.Her most recent gospel
outing is the album Here in Me released in 2007 on Arrow Records.Deleon, the
youngest artist ever signed to a major Gospel label, has been singing
professionally for almost a lifetime.Deleon has been featured in several
national magazines including People, Sports Illustrated, In Style, Ebony and
Billboard. She won the Gospel Music Workshop of America Award for Excellence
and was nominated for a Stellar Award. Recording, writing and co-producing with
some of the biggest in the music industry, Jeffrey "J Dub" Walker of
Dub’s World Production, Jerry Peters, Brian McKnight, Tim Minor, Percy Bady and
many more all having a great influence in her musical career.Deleon
writes much of her own music and is President of her own company, DeMari
Publishing and Entertainment, Inc. She also supports the Gary Sheffield
Foundation, founded by her husband; New York Mets outfielder Gary Sheffield.
Deleon sang the National Anthem at game 5 of the New York Knicks/Toronto
Raptors Playoff Game held at Madison Square Garden.
Deleon
grew up in a family of pastors and ministers including her Gospel-singing mom,
Debbie Richards. Her spiritual upbringing helped launch the Chicago native into
music ministry at the tender age of five when she first stepped onto a major
stage at the Chicago Gospel Festival, performing before 20,000. She went
on to tour the world, opening for the legendary Mighty Clouds of Joy in Japan
and traveling throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia and the West Indies including
regular performances for the USO. She also performed for numerous
religious and political leaders including the late President Ronald
Reagan. By age nine Deleon Richards became the youngest person ever to
be nominated for a GRAMMY Award with the previous
record holder being the late King of Pop Michael Jackson.
Early
in her career, Deleon began an exciting season of film and television
appearances with TBN, CBN, NBC, CBS, ABC, WGN and a variety of cable networks
before she landed a regular role on ABC’s television drama “Brewster Place,”
which starred Oprah Winfrey. She also has been featured in almost every
national magazine including People, Sports Illustrated, In Style, Ebony,
Billboard, ESPN The Magazine, Vibe and USA Today, to name a few.
Deleon
has shared the stage with award-winning artists including: Patti LaBelle,
Shirley Caesar, Israel Houghton, The Winans, CeCeWinans, Sandi Patty, Kirk
Franklin, Fred Hammond, Yolanda Adams, Al Green, Joni Eareckson Tada, Pastor
Joel Osteen and many others. Most recently, she served as worship artist
traveling across the globe with prominent pastor Paula White.
Deleon,
who writes much of her own music and is president of her own company, DeMari
Music and Entertainment and DeMari Publishing, has had the opportunity to work
with prolific writers and A-List producers who have been great influences in
her career. That list includes the likes of Stanley Brown, Warryn Campbell,
Nate Butler, Jerry Peters, Brian McKnight, Tim Minor, Fred Hammond, Percy Bady,
Tonex and the late WaymanTisdale with Tisdale Productions.
The
latest additions to this amazing artist’s discography are Here in Me,
an inspirational 11-track CD, and Deleon “Here In Me unplugged” a
moving DVD that features live performances from her latest project.
