Amanda Strawn

Amanda Strawn was born to Amanda Ambrose, a jazz singer and pianist, and Buffy Strawn, a tailor, in Los Angeles, California. She began singing before she entered kindergarten. As the youngest of five siblings, she discovered a unique way to assert herself and stand out as a result. A career in singing came to her as naturally and effortlessly as the act of blinking or breathing. Aside from having served as protegee to Harry Belafonte, during the '50s, Amanda's mother was also a true patron of the arts, as was Buffy. It was certainly not an uncommon occurrence to find at her father's atelier, where he confected his designs, the most brilliant of creative and intellectual minds like Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni, Miriam Mekeba, and Maxine Zawinul.