"the Dedan Tolbert Show" - Celebrating 10 Years!

Syleena Johnson counted on her own honesty and real-life experiences to produce her compelling music. The young Chicago native confronted her own romantic pitfalls and coming of age story on her debut CD, Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness (Jive Records), which featured guest appearances by blues guitarist Buddy Guy and contemporary R&B artist R. Kelly. Johnson's soulful rasp, reminiscent of old school R&B singers, set the tone for her confessional songs about the pain she endured in a bad relationship with a then-27-year-old man in 1997. Johnson grew from the experience and put it behind her, finding strength from a sense of forgiveness and from the spiritual guidance she received from God. In 2000, Johnson married a former college basketball player, Marcus Vetts, who became her tour manager. Johnson wrote all the songs on her debut CD except her first single, "I Am your Woman," penned by R. Kelly. Johnson began writing songs for her debut CD at age 20 in 1997 and sent her demo to Wayne Will