Carmen Bradford, a four-time Grammy nominee and 2024 Grammy Award winner, is true jazz royalty. Raised in Altadena, California, she is the daughter of legendary cornetist/composer Bobby Bradford and world-renowned jazz vocalist/composer/author Melba Joyce. Her grandfather, singer Melvin Moore, sang with Dizzy Gillespie's Big Band and later with the Ink Spots. Growing up with music constantly in her home, Bradford was destined for a musical career.
Both her parents put college education as the top priority for their daughter so they sent her back to their alma mater in Austin to attend Huston-Tillotson University with the charge to stay focused on her studies - “no performing until you’ve got that degree!” But the muse was calling and Carmen heeded. It wasn’t long before she and another young aspiring musician, John Mills, began working together. Their musical relationship has continued throughout her 40 year career.
A turning point in Bradford's career came in 1983 when she opened for Count Basie and his Orchestra at the Paramount Theatre. Impressed by her performance, Basie hired her to join his band. Bradford toured with the Count Basie Orchestra for nine years and has continued to perform with them throughout her career.
In addition to her work with the Count Basie Orchestra, Bradford has had a successful solo career. She has recorded and performed with numerous jazz greats, including Patti Austin, Tony Bennett, James Brown, Benny Carter, Freddie Cole, Lena Horne, Wynton Marsalis, Willie Nelson, Lou Rawls, Doc Severinsen, Frank Sinatra, Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, and many more.
Bradford has also lent her voice to theatrical productions and Hollywood films. She starred in Duke Ellington's Folk Opera "Queenie Pie" at the University of Texas at Austin's Butler School of Music and sang on the haunting soundtrack for Oprah Winfrey's "Beloved."
In recent years, Bradford has continued to collaborate with John Mills and other talented musicians. She has also served as the resident artist and Director of the Jazz Voice Department at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and is currently an associate professor of jazz voice at Michigan State University.
Carmen Bradford's impressive career is a testament to her talent, dedication, and passion for jazz music. She has not only achieved great success but has also contributed significantly to the preservation and evolution of this timeless art form.