Description
Dana Elaine Owens’ (1970- ) stage name came from a childhood nickname meaning delicate or sensitive. As Queen Latifah, she launched a wave of female rappers, helping to redefine the male genre before becoming an award-winning actress. Today she is known as a major influence to R&B, soul, and hip-hop artists, for a variety of films including Chicago and The Secret Life of Bees, and for her portrayal of Bessie Smith in the HBO TV film Bessie.
Jane Ellen shares her eclectic interests via Zoom from Central Florida’s Space Coast. Specializing in music and entertainment history, she works to bring her subjects to life while making a deeper understanding of music accessible to all. Jane’s presentations benefit not only from her gifts as a storyteller, but from a lifetime of work as an independent scholar, performer, composer, and recording artist.