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["Doris Fields aka Lady D of Beckley led an apprenticeship in blues and Black gospel with Xavier Oglesby of Beckley as part of the 2018 West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Doris Fields aka Lady DBeckley, WVDoris A. Fields, also known as Lady D, is a West Virginia native born in Kayford in Kanawha County. She is a graduate of East Bank High School and West Virginia State University with a bachelors degree in communications. She is also a graduate of Phillips College in Gulfport, MS with an associate degree in travel and tourism. She is known as West Virginias First Lady of Soul.Lady D has been singing since the age of three years old. She is also an actress, songwriter, director, and promoter. Since 2003, she has toured her one-woman show, The Lady and the Empress, a musical stage play based on the life and music of blues legend, Bessie Smith. Her acting experience also includes a five-year stint with Theater West Virginias productions of Honey In the Rock, Hatfields and McCoys, and various other shows. On the local scene, Lady D was very active in productions with the Charleston Stage Company, Childrens Theater and Kanawha Players.As a professional vocalist, highlights of Lady Ds career include being the opening act for the legendary soul group, the OJays at Charlestons 2007 FestivALL. In 2008, her original song, Go Higher, was chosen as the best Obama Inaugural Song and earned her a trip with her band, MI$$ION, to Washington, D.C. to perform at the 2009 Obama for Change Inaugural Ball. In 2010, Lady D was honored to perform at the live recording of the HistoryMakers: An Evening With Henry Louis Gates, Jr. at the Cultural Center in Charleston. In August 2014, she was inducted into the All Black Schools Sports & Academic Hall of Fame (ABSSA) with a Lifetime Achievement Award.Xavier OglesbyBeckley, WVXavier Oglesby, a Beckley native, was raised in the black Pentecostal church, learning gospel music from his family. From 1997 to 2003, he hosted 545 Live, a gospel music radio show on Beckleys WJLS in Beckley. From 1997 to 2002 he was an actor and singer at Theatre West Virginia. He recently narrated voice-overs for the National Park Service New River Gorge African American Heritage Auto Tour. He currently works as a corrections officer.See our feature on Fields apprenticeship with Oglesby here: https://wvfolklife.org/2018/12/03/2018-master-artist-apprentice-feature-doris-fields-aka-lady-d-xavier-oglesby-blues-black-gospel/"]%

13. Portrait of Xavier Oglesby and Doris Fields aka Lady D

Identifier:
4224.FieldsDorisOglesbyXavier.Photo.001.5.15.18
Title:
Portrait of Xavier Oglesby and Doris Fields aka Lady D
Date:
2018-05-15
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Soul music, Apprenticeship programs, Gospel music, Rhythm and blues music, African Americans--Appalachian Region
Location:
Beckley (W. Va.)
["Doris Fields aka Lady D of Beckley led an apprenticeship in blues and Black gospel with Xavier Oglesby of Beckley as part of the 2018 West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Doris Fields aka Lady DBeckley, WVDoris A. Fields, also known as Lady D, is a West Virginia native born in Kayford in Kanawha County. She is a graduate of East Bank High School and West Virginia State University with a bachelors degree in communications. She is also a graduate of Phillips College in Gulfport, MS with an associate degree in travel and tourism. She is known as West Virginias First Lady of Soul.Lady D has been singing since the age of three years old. She is also an actress, songwriter, director, and promoter. Since 2003, she has toured her one-woman show, The Lady and the Empress, a musical stage play based on the life and music of blues legend, Bessie Smith. Her acting experience also includes a five-year stint with Theater West Virginias productions of Honey In the Rock, Hatfields and McCoys, and various other shows. On the local scene, Lady D was very active in productions with the Charleston Stage Company, Childrens Theater and Kanawha Players.As a professional vocalist, highlights of Lady Ds career include being the opening act for the legendary soul group, the OJays at Charlestons 2007 FestivALL. In 2008, her original song, Go Higher, was chosen as the best Obama Inaugural Song and earned her a trip with her band, MI$$ION, to Washington, D.C. to perform at the 2009 Obama for Change Inaugural Ball. In 2010, Lady D was honored to perform at the live recording of the HistoryMakers: An Evening With Henry Louis Gates, Jr. at the Cultural Center in Charleston. In August 2014, she was inducted into the All Black Schools Sports & Academic Hall of Fame (ABSSA) with a Lifetime Achievement Award.Xavier OglesbyBeckley, WVXavier Oglesby, a Beckley native, was raised in the black Pentecostal church, learning gospel music from his family. From 1997 to 2003, he hosted 545 Live, a gospel music radio show on Beckleys WJLS in Beckley. From 1997 to 2002 he was an actor and singer at Theatre West Virginia. He recently narrated voice-overs for the National Park Service New River Gorge African American Heritage Auto Tour. He currently works as a corrections officer.See our feature on Fields apprenticeship with Oglesby here: https://wvfolklife.org/2018/12/03/2018-master-artist-apprentice-feature-doris-fields-aka-lady-d-xavier-oglesby-blues-black-gospel/"]%

14. Display wall in Doris Fields' Beckley home

Identifier:
4224.FieldsDorisOglesbyXavier.Photo.002.5.15.18
Title:
Display wall in Doris Fields' Beckley home
Date:
2017-05-15
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Rhythm and blues music, Gospel music, African Americans--Appalachian Region, Soul music, Apprenticeship programs
Location:
Beckley (W. Va.)
["Doris Fields aka Lady D of Beckley led an apprenticeship in blues and Black gospel with Xavier Oglesby of Beckley as part of the 2018 West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Doris Fields aka Lady DBeckley, WVDoris A. Fields, also known as Lady D, is a West Virginia native born in Kayford in Kanawha County. She is a graduate of East Bank High School and West Virginia State University with a bachelors degree in communications. She is also a graduate of Phillips College in Gulfport, MS with an associate degree in travel and tourism. She is known as West Virginias First Lady of Soul.Lady D has been singing since the age of three years old. She is also an actress, songwriter, director, and promoter. Since 2003, she has toured her one-woman show, The Lady and the Empress, a musical stage play based on the life and music of blues legend, Bessie Smith. Her acting experience also includes a five-year stint with Theater West Virginias productions of Honey In the Rock, Hatfields and McCoys, and various other shows. On the local scene, Lady D was very active in productions with the Charleston Stage Company, Childrens Theater and Kanawha Players.As a professional vocalist, highlights of Lady Ds career include being the opening act for the legendary soul group, the OJays at Charlestons 2007 FestivALL. In 2008, her original song, Go Higher, was chosen as the best Obama Inaugural Song and earned her a trip with her band, MI$$ION, to Washington, D.C. to perform at the 2009 Obama for Change Inaugural Ball. In 2010, Lady D was honored to perform at the live recording of the HistoryMakers: An Evening With Henry Louis Gates, Jr. at the Cultural Center in Charleston. In August 2014, she was inducted into the All Black Schools Sports & Academic Hall of Fame (ABSSA) with a Lifetime Achievement Award.Xavier OglesbyBeckley, WVXavier Oglesby, a Beckley native, was raised in the black Pentecostal church, learning gospel music from his family. From 1997 to 2003, he hosted 545 Live, a gospel music radio show on Beckleys WJLS in Beckley. From 1997 to 2002 he was an actor and singer at Theatre West Virginia. He recently narrated voice-overs for the National Park Service New River Gorge African American Heritage Auto Tour. He currently works as a corrections officer.See our feature on Fields apprenticeship with Oglesby here: https://wvfolklife.org/2018/12/03/2018-master-artist-apprentice-feature-doris-fields-aka-lady-d-xavier-oglesby-blues-black-gospel/"]%

15. Awards and press displayed in Doris Fields' home in Beckley

Identifier:
4224.FieldsDorisOglesbyXavier.Photo.003.5.15.18
Title:
Awards and press displayed in Doris Fields' home in Beckley
Date:
2018-05-15
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
African Americans--Appalachian Region, Soul music, Gospel music, Rhythm and blues music, Apprenticeship programs
Location:
Beckley (W. Va.)
["On March 8, 2018 the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charleston, West Virginia held their annual River Music Concert Fundraiser with West Virginia artists Lady D (Doris Fields), Kai Haynes, Crystal Good, Jasmine Gray, and Marshall Petty and The Groove. Tickets were $20 and proceeds benefited the UU Church."]%

16. Lady D performs her one-woman Bessie Smith show as part of the River Music Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Charleston, 1 of 5

Identifier:
4224.RiverMusicConcert.Photo.008.3.8.17
Title:
Lady D performs her one-woman Bessie Smith show as part of the River Music Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Charleston, 1 of 5
Date:
2017-03-08
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
African Americans--Appalachian Region, Concerts, Jazz vocals, Rhythm and blues music, Unitarian church buildings
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["On March 8, 2018 the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charleston, West Virginia held their annual River Music Concert Fundraiser with West Virginia artists Lady D (Doris Fields), Kai Haynes, Crystal Good, Jasmine Gray, and Marshall Petty and The Groove. Tickets were $20 and proceeds benefited the UU Church."]%

17. Lady D performs her one-woman Bessie Smith show as part of the River Music Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Charleston, 2 of 5

Identifier:
4224.RiverMusicConcert.Photo.009.3.8.17
Title:
Lady D performs her one-woman Bessie Smith show as part of the River Music Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Charleston, 2 of 5
Date:
2017-03-08
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Unitarian church buildings, Rhythm and blues music, Jazz vocals, African Americans--Appalachian Region, Concerts
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["On March 8, 2018 the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charleston, West Virginia held their annual River Music Concert Fundraiser with West Virginia artists Lady D (Doris Fields), Kai Haynes, Crystal Good, Jasmine Gray, and Marshall Petty and The Groove. Tickets were $20 and proceeds benefited the UU Church."]%

18. Lady D performs her one-woman Bessie Smith show as part of the River Music Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Charleston, 3 of 5

Identifier:
4224.RiverMusicConcert.Photo.010.3.8.17
Title:
Lady D performs her one-woman Bessie Smith show as part of the River Music Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Charleston, 3 of 5
Date:
2017-03-08
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Unitarian church buildings, Jazz vocals, Concerts, Rhythm and blues music, African Americans--Appalachian Region
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["On March 8, 2018 the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charleston, West Virginia held their annual River Music Concert Fundraiser with West Virginia artists Lady D (Doris Fields), Kai Haynes, Crystal Good, Jasmine Gray, and Marshall Petty and The Groove. Tickets were $20 and proceeds benefited the UU Church."]%

19. Lady D performs her one-woman Bessie Smith show as part of the River Music Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Charleston, 4 of 5

Identifier:
4224.RiverMusicConcert.Photo.011.3.8.17
Title:
Lady D performs her one-woman Bessie Smith show as part of the River Music Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Charleston, 4 of 5
Date:
2017-03-08
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Concerts, Jazz vocals, Rhythm and blues music, African Americans--Appalachian Region, Unitarian church buildings
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["On March 8, 2018 the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charleston, West Virginia held their annual River Music Concert Fundraiser with West Virginia artists Lady D (Doris Fields), Kai Haynes, Crystal Good, Jasmine Gray, and Marshall Petty and The Groove. Tickets were $20 and proceeds benefited the UU Church."]%

20. Lady D performs her one-woman Bessie Smith show as part of the River Music Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Charleston, 5 of 5

Identifier:
4224.RiverMusicConcert.Photo.012.3.8.17
Title:
Lady D performs her one-woman Bessie Smith show as part of the River Music Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Charleston, 5 of 5
Date:
2017-03-08
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Unitarian church buildings, Jazz vocals, Rhythm and blues music, Concerts, African Americans--Appalachian Region
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)