When jazz great Norman Brown bestows upon you the title of First Lady of Smooth Jazz, you know you are doing something right. Gail Jhonson has been performing music since she was a young girl in her home town of Philadelphia. She recalls traveling to various venues with her group and being so young that they had to sit off to the side and away from the main crowd. Nevertheless, they continued to woo crowds, and Gail continued to become more immersed in music and fueling her passion. Jhonson’s hard work over the years has paid off and still continues to yield her great things. One of the many highlights in Gail’s career was when she received a Grammy nod for her CD “Pearls” in 2009. I told her that I felt like she was a phenomenal woman for overcoming the loss of a son and still maintaining a heavy presence in the world of jazz. She truly does it all. She’s a recording artist, touring musician, appears on TV shows, and performs at many jazz festivals. To top it all off, Gail is the leader of the all-female jazz ensemble “Jazz In Pink” which is comprised of Karen Briggs, Althea Rene, and Mariea Antionette. The group can often be seen sharing the stage with other women in jazz. Next week, Jazz In Pink will be joining the line-up of awesome artists at the Napa Valley Jazz Getaway. I can’t wait to wear my pink.

Listen to what this phenomenal woman has to say about how she does it all: