Desiree Roots

Desirée Roots has been showcasing her triple threat talent for more than 35yrs in her hometown of Richmond, VA as well as regionally. She has traveled extensively throughout the East Coast performing with a plethora of singing groups, theatrical productions and workshops. She performs regularly in theatrical productions, concerts, festivals, workshops, and studios, as well as operatic, R&B, gospel and jazz genres. Her versatility within different genres of music keeps her busy, however her favorites are classical, gospel and Jazz!! Desirée grew up in a musical family and continues to carry the torch. Her long awaited CD entitled "Don't Ever Stop Dreaming" has gained airplay and accolades from the USA to Europe and Brazil. For the past few years in her hometown, she has been holding down the leading lady spots in theatre from Sofia in "The Color Purple" to Vera Charles in "Mame". in 2015, she won the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle award of "Best Actress in a Musical" for her portrayal of Caroline in the mini operetta "Caroline or Change"! And, in the summer of 2016, she wowed audiences in Virginia Repertory Theatre's box office sellout "DREAMGIRLS" as the lead character Effie White. Other favorite roles have been: Sister Hubert in "Nunsense"; "Crowns"; Narrator and Diana Ross in "Beehive - The 60's Musical"; Aldonza in "Man of LaMancha"; TiMoune in "Once On This Island"; Dorothy in "The Wiz". Desirée was also featured in a one-woman production, in which she wrote, entitled "Songs of Bessie Smith" and had the Nell Carter role in "Ain't Misbehavin" at Porthouse Theatre in Kent Ohio. Desiree has been a guest performer with the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra and, has been honored to share the stage with music giants such as Grammy Award Winning Blues Guitarist Buddy Guy, Jazz Saxophonist Gerald Albright, the late saxophonist Art Porter, and the late great Blues Giant BB King . Her vocal styling can be heard on regional and national ad campaigns as well as several episodes of "The Cosby Show" and "A Different World". A graduate of Virginia Union University with a concentration in Performance and Education, Desirée has been the opening act for many renowned Jazz artists, including Kenny Garrett, Bobby Watson, and the late Phyllis Hyman and Shirley Horne. In 2004, Desiree received the Theresa Pollack Prize for Excellence in the Arts as Best Vocalist in Virginia.

Spring of 2018 she will be opening for Jazz Saxophonists Boney James during his national tour, as well as working on her sophmore CD. Her production of Ella@100, which celebrates the music, life and 100th birthday of Ella Fitzgerald will be presented at the American Theatre. This is a production featuring a 14 piece orchestra that Desiree wrote and directed. She has performed to sell out audiences and continues to explore unlimited opportunities.

CANNOT perform in smokey venues due to asthma.