By Dale Ricardo Shields

Gospel Singer and Grammy Award-winning Songwriter

Lady Peachena

A dedicated educator, Lady Peachena has earned a Master of Science (M.S.) degree from The College of Mt. St. Vincent (1999), a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree from New School University. In 2017, she graduated from Capella University with a Ph.D. degree in Education.

This innovative producer of 10 albums and songwriter of 400 songs and poems believes that this is the right time for people to hear her soulful, life-changing music. Gospel psalmist, Lady Peachena, is the Grammy Award-winning songwriter of smash-hit song, “DANCING IN THE SPIRIT,” on Cece Winan’s Grammy Award-winning CD, “LET THEM FALL IN LOVE.” Ironically, this song was a worldwide hit, thirty years ago in 1988 when it was recorded by Cece’s brothers, with (Bishop) Marvin Winan’s singing lead with (the late) Ron Winan’s Family & Friend’s Choir live in Detroit, Michigan. In 1989 the song was nominated for a Grammy Award and the entire Winans’ family sang “DANCING…” live on the CBS Grammy telecast.

Kanye West sampled her song, “HEAVENLY DREAMS,” and dubbed it “CELEBRATION” on his platinum-selling CD, “LATE REGISTRATION” in 2005.

About

Lady Peachena

Short Bio

Lady Peachena (Lena Eure) graduated from Morgan State University in 1970 with an (expired link). degree in French & Secondary Education. After graduating as she worked as a Lead Teacher with the Model Cities Program in Baltimore, MD, then she moved to New York City in ’72 to pursue her dream of becoming a professional recording artist/performer.

From 1983 to 2004, she was a Certified Public School Teacher with New York City’s Department of Education, while acquiring 2 Master’s degrees. The first one, a Masters of Science degree in Urban & Multicultural Education was granted in 1999 from The College of Mt. St. Vincent in Riverdale, NY. The second one was an (expired link). degree in Creative Writing for Children in 2001 from New School University in New York, NY.

Gifted Gospel Diva & Grammy-nominated songwriter, Lady Peachena aka Lena Eure, wrote the smash-hit song, “Dancing in The Spirit,” recorded by the late Ron Winans & his Family & Friends Choir in 1988 with Bishop Marvin Winans singing lead. And the next year “Dancing in The Spirit,” was nominated for a Grammy.

* Where was I born?

Lady Peachena, nee Lena Mary Rebecca Eure.

I was born in Salisbury, Maryland on May 15, 1948, to Bishop and Mrs. James L. Eure.

Bishop Eure was the pastor of Holy Temple Church of God in Christ and Overseer of COGIC churches on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

I really do miss the Sunday Night Services that my father, the late Bishop James L. Eure used to have at our church, Holy Temple COGIC in Salisbury, MD. When we were kids we used to run to church for the Sunday Night Service (even though we had been in church all day.) People came from all over the Eastern Shore to be at our Sunday Night Services. Sometimes Daddy would invite quartets and gospel groups to sing. When the spirit got high and the saints started dancing and shouting, my Daddy would pull out his silver trombone and blow it. Often times he’d start dancing all across the pulpit from right to left, praising God. I miss those spirit-filled days

* When did I start singing and what motivated my gift?

My father, Bishop Eure, started me singing in church when I was 5 years young. I loved singing and I learned several Gospel songs so I’d have one to sing whenever he called me to sing before the church. So early on I knew I wanted to be a professional singer. My mother, Mrs. Mary E. Eure, used to hold weekly rehearsals with me, my younger sister, Rachel, and my only brother, Junior, teaching us various Gospel songs to sing while she played the piano. My mother dubbed us, The Eure Trio, and almost every weekend, we traveled and sang up and down the Del/Mar/Va region singing in many churches on Sunday mornings, from 1953 to 1965. After we finished singing, my brother who started preaching at the tender age of 3, would stand on a box or table, and preach a fiery sermon. Folks were amazed by our powerful ministry.

“Here’s a photo of us when we were kids, Junior (Bishop James L. Eure, Jr.) Rachel (Rachel S Polk), and Peaches (Lady Peachena).”

Me and my sister, Rachel

This is a memorable picture of my mother with my son, Jeremiah Eure standing by her side. Standing from left to right are Lady Peachena, Aunt Sarah, Cousin Hope M. Porter, and my baby sister, Rachel S Polk. AMAZING! This photo was taken about thirty years ago. Precious memories!

* Who do I admire and why?

From the age of 6, I was always amazed by the awesome voice of young Aretha Franklin who was 12 when she started recording. I listened to her powerful voice and learned to sing her Gospel songs such as “NEVER GROW OLD,” “PRECIOUS LORD, and “AMAZING GRACE.” She was always my guiding light for over 6 decades.

I’m grateful that I was in her company several times before she left us, but I regret that I never told her how much I loved her.

My group, The Great Divas of Gospel, had the honor of opening up the show for her Cipriani’s on Wall Street in NYC. My choir, The Late Show’s Gospel Choir, opened up the show for L’Oreal for her once at Pier 60 about 4 years ago.

* What do I think of Gospel music?

I have deeply loved Gospel music all my life. My father was very strict, but he always allowed me to listen to Gospel music. So at dinner time I always played Gospel music on the turntable. Beside Aretha, my favorite artists were: Rev. James Cleveland, Sam Cooke, the Famous Davis Sisters, the Famous Caravans, Shirley Caesar, Dorothy Love Coates & the original Gospel Harmonettes, and the Clara Ward Singers. I looked forward to their new releases and their recordings were all that I bought. Today I think of Gospel music as life-changing and life-saving music and that’s why I still sing it wherever I go. After my performances so many people have come up to me saying much, they were positively impacted by the Gospel songs I sang.

* What theatre play or musical do you really like and why?

My friend Charles Carter, treated me to see the opera, “AIDA,” a few months ago and I loved it. The last show I saw on Broadway was “MOTOWN” and I liked it, too, but I didn’t like the way Mary Wells was cast in the show. The producers should have treated her character much better because Mary was the first big money-maker for Motown. Her songs “MY GUY” & “TWO LOVERS” are still being sung today all over the world.

* If I could change one thing about the world what would you change?

It would be mandatory that everybody obey the first commandment of Jesus which was that “we must love one another.” If we truly loved each other without regarding skin color, sexual preference, religious affiliation, or job status, we would be living in a more peaceful world. I also would mandate that African History and African American History be taught in ALL classrooms. If White people were taught in schools about the numerous contributions of Africans (including the Egyptians) and African Americans to our culture they wouldn’t be so ignorant and hateful.

The Holy Bible should be required reading for all Americans for if they truthfully studied the Bible they would recognize the African man, the Black man, as the first man on earth. They would know that the various ethnic tribes described and discussed in the Old Testament were of African descent, including the 12 tribes of Israel. And since Jesus, the Christ, or Yeshua, was a descendant of the tribe of Judah, he was a man of African descent. Consequently, there would be no need for the false images of a stringy-haired, blue-eyed Jesus to be used as a fake symbol of White demagoguery, an image that’s totally foreign, to the birthplace of the real Jesus.

~*~

“JUMP UP FOR JOY”

From the 1985 album entitled “Sincerely Yours“.

Written by Peachena Eure and Butch Heyward

Lady Peachena is a member of the Love Fellowship Tabernacle of Brooklyn, NY, where Bishop Hezekiah Walker is the senior pastor. She is a founding member of the church’s LFT Rhema Choir and was a loyal member of LFT’S Grammy-winning Love Fellowship Choir, the Azusa Choir, and LFT’S Celebration Choir.

This Gospel Diva’s also the playwright of the electrifying, long-running musical, “THE GREAT DIVAS OF GOSPEL,” which gives a powerful tribute to the female pioneers of Gospel music, like The Clara Ward Singers, The Famous Caravans, Mahalia Jackson, and others.

This fantastic show celebrated its’ 26th Year Anniversary with two dynamic shows at Brooklyn’s Sugar Hill Restaurant.

“Awesome singing!”

The Great Divas of Gospel being inducted into the New York State Blues Hall of Fame at Peekskill’s Paramount Theater. [with Deborah Malone and Lynda Karen Smith.]
(2014)

GREAT DIVAS VIDEO

“LORD, PLEASE GUIDE OUR PRESIDENT“

The Great Divas of Gospel sing a prayer ballad to President Obama entitled, “LORD, PLEASE GUIDE OUR PRESIDENT.” This song was written by Lady Peachena for he’ll always be our president.

This song was written by Lady Peachena, hoping to inspire people all over the world to pray sincerely for the well-being of our world-renowned leader.

Blues Hall of Fame at the Paramount Hudson Valley Theatre Nov 9th, 2013 Part 18 (Lady Peachena and the Great Divas of Gospel) Dorothy Love Coates’ all-time favorite, “THAT’S ENOUGH.” Video by Larry Blumenstein Video Productions. Contact: LarryBlumenstein@aol.com,

Lady Peachena is the author of an enlightening biographical book,

“THE GREAT DIVAS OF GOSPEL: A POETIC SALUTE TO GOSPEL’S PIONEERS” that traces the lives of 20 of Gospel’s most famous female singers/groups.

The Great Divas of Gospel: A poetic salute to gospel’s pioneers – (1999)
by Lady Peachena (Author)

~*~

Her first Off-Broadway appearance was in 1974 in the controversial sexual musical, “LET MY PEOPLE COME,” that opened at the Village Gate As a cast member, I refused to take off her clothing as her castmates did. I boldly told the producer that I wanted to “show off her talent as a singer, not my body!”

The first two all-star events that this gifted lady presented at the Village Gate was titled “SALUTE TO WOMEN IN THE ARTS” which featured some of that era’s best female artists such as (the late) Phyllis Hyman, (the late) Novella Nelson, Queen Yahna, Sandra Reaves-Phillips, and others in 1975 and 1976.

(Of course, she sang in both shows, too).

One of the first promoters to present the Sunday Gospel Brunch with the “GOSPEL AT THE GATE” series she featured a dynamic line-up of Gospel artists such as (Bishop) Hezekiah Walker and The Love Fellowship Crusade Choir, (the late Rev.) Timothy Wright and his Concert Choir, and others. for six Sundays in the Fall of 1988. A few years later she presented (the late) Jessye Dixon & The Upper Room Choir at the Village Gate.

Lady Peachena’s appeared on Broadway in the classic Gospel musical, “GOSPEL AT COLONUS” that played at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater in 1988 featuring The Institutional Radio Choir, Morgan Freeman, Clarence Fountain and The Five Blind Boys of Alabama

Quazar
(Arista Records)

Her other theatrical credits include Ron Milner’s “SEASON’S REASONS,” “GOD’S TROMBONES,” and “OVER 40.”

Quazar is the debut album from the band Quazar. The band was led by former P-Funk vocalist Glenn Goins, who also served as the producer and arranger of the album. Goins died before the album’s release, effectively sealing the group’s fate. The album was released by Arista Records in the fall of 1978, after Funkadelic’s One Nation Under A Groove but before Parliament (band)’s Motor Booty Affair, that same year. The album also features contributions from former P-Funk drummer Jerome Brailey. Both Glenn Goins and Jerome Brailey were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Parliament-Funkadelic.

She composed the song, “LOVE ME BABY” on the album.

Kevin Goins – guitar and lead vocals
Eugene Jackson – bass, lead, and background vocals
Richard Banks – keyboards, background vocals
Greg Fitz – keyboards, background vocals

Jeff Adams – drums, background vocals
Peachena – lead and background vocals
Harvey Banks – guitar, background vocals
Daryl Dixon – saxophone, clarinet, flute
Monica Peters – trumpet
Darryl Deliberto – congas
Daniel Brack – background vocals, Spiritual Leaders.

Additional musicians

Glenn Goins, Harry, and Butch Watson – guitars
Donald Payne, Glenn Goins – bass
Jerome Brailey, Glenn Goins – drums
Glenn Goins – background vocals
Samuel Johnson – keyboards

The album was reissued on CD by records in Japan in 1991 but went out of print shortly thereafter. In June 2012, the album was re-released on CD by BBR records. This expanded version includes the single versions of “Funk ‘N’ Roll (Dancin’ In The Funkshine)”, “Funk With A Bigfoot” and “Savin’ My Love For A Rainy Day”.

Quazar was a ten-piece Funk band from the Plainsfield, NJ

QUAZAR (1978)
(L-R) The late Glenn Goins (Founder/Producer) Lady Peachena (lead singer), Kevin Goins, (lead singer) (on the floor), the late Moochie, guitarist (above him)
the late Jeff Davis, drummer, (standing next to Glenn), Gregg Fitz,(keyboards) & Shaidi Banks (pianist)

~*~

In October 1995 she founded the famed Late Show’s Gospel Choir for CBS TV’S “LATE SHOW with David Letterman,” and they sang on “THE LATE SHOW” for 10 years straight, (1995-2005) and again in 2013 with the pop star, singer-guitarist, Shawn Mendes.

Lady Peachena and The Late Show’s Gospel Choir

In the Fall of ‘1995, Lady Peachena organized The Late Show‘s Gospel Choir at the request of Paul Shaffer, Musical Director of CBS TV’s “LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN.

They have performed on TV shows like “MTV UNPLUGGED,” “INSIDE EDITION,” NBC’S “TONIGHT SHOW Starring JIMMY FALLON,” VH1’s “BEST WEEK EVER,” “IMPRACTICAL JOKERS,” and many others.

Lady and LSG Choir on the set of JIMMY KIMMEL SHOW.

Lady Peachena & The Late Show’s Gospel Choir

Rockefeller Center Christmas Season December 2013

Lady Peachena and The LSG Choir on the TRU TV SHOW, “Impractical Jokers.”

“Dracula’s Punishment” episode

Lady Peachena & The LSG Choir in gold robes singing a musical tribute to Gospel’s Queen, Shirley Caesar, with Kirk Franklin directing them at the Beacon Theater in New York City on the “GRAMMY SALUTE TO MUSIC LEGENDS 2017.” PBS TV’S “GREAT PERFORMANCES” on October 13, 2017.

Her choir, the famed Late Show’s Gospel Choir, sang a powerful tribute to Rev. Shirley Caesar, with Kirk Franklin directing them at the Beacon Theater in a “Grammy Salute to Music Legends 2017,” and it aired on PBS TV’S “GREAT PERFORMANCES” Oct. 2017. Lady P. and her Choir starred in a spectacular concert with 13 of the hottest singers from Sweden at the Apollo Theater, a 4-part TV docu-series called “EN KVALL I NEW YORK” that aired in Sweden on SVT-TV in 2016.

The Late Show’s Gospel Choir filming the Swedish TV Show, “One Night in New York,” with Sweden’s artist singers.

Our choir, The Late Show’s Gospel Choir, had the distinct honor of serenading the MILWAUKEE BUCKS Basketball Team and their families with a nostalgic array of Christmas Carols last night, Christmas Eve, at the exquisite 4 Seasons Hotel Philadelphia. What a Holiday Treat it was! Their beautiful children sat down at our feet and sang along with us. We took this photo on the panoramic 60th floor overlooking the city. Oh, what a wonderful Christmas celebration! Colorful Milwaukee Bucks’ Tee-shirts! Christmas Ornaments! What an Awesome Evening of Christmas Cheer! (2019)

Lady Peachena & The LateShow’s Gospel Choir singing their hot new Easter song, “JESUS LIVES IN ME.”

https://www.facebook.com/664283627/videos/1316186482214014

Bookings- http://lateshowsgospelchoir.com

Since coming to New York City in 1972, Lady Peachena believes that she’s achieved several great accomplishments without a manager or agent, and she gives all credit to GOD.

In 2010 Lady Peachena was one of the first female Gospel singers to ever direct her choir and lead them singing her smash-hit song, “DANCING IN THE SPIRIT” on Showtime’s “THE BIG C.”

Lady Peachena with Spike Lee at the premiere showing of the mystery movie, “DA SWEET BLOOD OF JESUS.” (2013)
She had a cameo role singing in the film.

In 2013 she sang in a cameo role on Spike Lee’s mysterious movie, “DA SWEET BLOOD OF JESUS.” Last June 2019 Lady Peachena and her group, The Great Divas of Gospel, were featured as singing angels in the new movie short, “MR. PARKER,” produced by Alex Ashe at the BAM’S Cinema-Film-Fest 2019. On Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16th The Late Show’s Gospel Choir opened up the Hudson’s Clearwater Festival to an adoring crowd at Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson, NY.

~*~

HARD TIMES

New York Beacon Article (WSVP) The new radio station.
Here’s the link: http://player.live365.com/a58535

* My advice to a young artist?

1) Study your craft.

2) Aim for college or a trade school.

3) Follow your dreams, don’t follow the crowd.

4) Never do drugs, you might fall into a death trap!

5) If your plans fail, make a new plan and try, try again.

6) Never give up!

7) Prayer can be your greatest weapon. Embrace prayer and try to live a spiritual life.

~ QUOTES that I love ~

Two quotes that identified me as a girl.

I learned the 23rd Psalms – “The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want.”

“With God all things are possible.”

Two quotes that identified me as a teen.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

“Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Two quotes identify me as an adult.

1 Timothy 1:6. “For God did not give us the spirit of fear: but of love, of power, and of a sound mind.”

“Someway, Somehow, the Lord will make a way for me.”

~*~

Lady Peachena & The Late Show’s Gospel Choir singing at the 15 Percent Pledge Gala that was held at the NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 4-2-2022.

Most recently, this resilient singer has officially answered her call into the ministry. She just graduated this summer from taking a strenuous 10-week course with the US/NYS Chaplain Task Force and is now recognized as Chaplain Lady Peachena (Eure).

Lady Peachena has written and published an exciting, interactive reading-language arts-music curriculum based on the basic vowel sounds called “WISE WORD POWER,” with a special interest in raising the reading levels of second and third graders by using music. A 2-part CD comes with the educational program of which all songs are composed by Lady Peachena. Her superb, re-released CD, “SINCERELY YOURS” is at https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/ladypeachena4. Her new single, “LOVE TRUMPS HATE,” can be downloaded at www.store.cdbaby.com/ladypeachena6 and at www.amazon.com. For bookings, email Lady Peachena at peachena@aol.com. As a record producer, Lady P. has produced and released nine albums on her label, Platinum Peachtree Records: three children’s albums, two albums of The Late Show’s Gospel Choir, one on her show’s cast, “STAY IN THE RACE,” three of her solo CDS: “SINCERELY YOURS,” “THE BISHOP’S DAUGHTER,” and “DIVINE RESTORATION.”

The Late Show’s Gospel Choir Lights Up NYC’S Times Square

Hamilton, New Jersey May 21, 2024 (Issuewire.com) – After 28 years of singing around the world, the famed Late Show’s Gospel Choir, formerly of CBS TV’S “Late Show with David Letterman,” is still spreading positive vibes through singing uplifting songs.

They were seen by millions of viewers when they were featured once or twice a year for a decade on “The Late Show” from 1995 to 2005. The choir’s most memorable moment occurred when they sang a dramatic parody of Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” with comedian Martin Shore as a tribute to Dave’s comeback from bypass heart surgery winning an Emmy Award for “The Late Show” in 2001.

Earlier this month, this phenomenal choir was featured in the launching of an impressive exhibit “Hot Dog in The City,” before hundreds of excited spectators at Times Square. While the group’s founder, Lady Peachena, sang “You Raise Me Up,” the 65-foot-long hot dog sculpture was raised slowly up into the air spewing out loads of colorful confetti. Then highly energetic sensation, Deborah Malone, rocked the hyped-up crowd singing “Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher.”

Artists, Jen Catman and Paul Outlaw gave out heartfelt gratitude to their sponsors and labeled their realistic creation as the world’s largest hot dog sculpture according to the New York Times. “Hot Dog in the City” by far is the largest installation commissioned by Times Square Arts.

Fans can see The Late Show’s Gospel Choir singing on the new TV show, DEAR EDWARD,” for Episode 2 entitled “FOOD,” which is streaming now on Apple TV. For bookings of this awesome choir visit their website at: www.lateshowsgospelchoir.com. Their new single, “Jesus Lives in Me” can be viewed by clicking this link: