Album Notes

Debbie Fleming has been a session singer and songwriter in the busy Toronto music scene for many years. Her influences are wide, as is her vocal versatility. She began her music career as a singer with a basement rock band in high school. She discovered funk and groove music when she sang with Ronnie Hawkins and his band, then consisting of Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm -- who later became "The Band". At McMaster University Debbie was into jazz and had her first taste of singing in a classical choir. She married Gord Fleming, a primo Hammond B3 Organist on the Toronto scene, and gave birth to two children - Gord Jr. and Rebecca. Debbie raised her children as a single mother, working freelance as a backup singer with artists such as Petula Clark, and singing jingles and commercials. She was the director of "Free Spirit" the backup vocal group on the long running "Ronnie Prophet" country TV show out of Toronto, and was privileged to have backed up George Jones, Mel Tillis, Crystal Gaile and many many more country superstars. Debbie also formed a vocal jazz ensemble -- as group singing was and always will be her first love! This group, "Sing-Co-op-8" was short-lived, but a few years later, after being blown away by "Take 6", Debbie assembled "Hampton Avenue" and led them to record three albums, win a Jazz Report Vocal Group Of the Year Award in 1999, becoming one of the worlds finest jazz a cappella vocal ensembles. All this time, Debbie was also a member of the prestigious Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, where she still adds her first soprano voice. After Hampton Avenue disbanded, Debbie went back to her country roots, and assembled a female trio, ChoirGirlz, that sings country, roots, bluegrass -- both original songs and covers.
Debbie was encouraged by some musician colleagues to record some of her fabulous songs as a solo artist, so people could appreciate the clarity, accuracy and delivery of her remarkable voice. So, the time has come for Debbie to step out of the group, and into the spotlight -- in front of a primo band, and struttin' her "Diva Chops". Debbie's flyin' solo on this new album "Steppin' Out" and she's having a gas!