Miche Braden
Musician, Actor, and Writer in New York Area
MICHE BRADEN is a singer, actor, musician, songwriter, arranger, writer and musical director. She is a product of the rich musical heritage of her hometown Detroit, MI where she was an Artist in Residence with the Detroit Council of the Arts, the founder and former lead singer of Straight Ahead, and was honed by the best musicians in Detroit including Wendall Harrison, Motown musicians Thomas “Beans” Bowles, Earl Van Dyke (leader of the Funk Brothers),Marcus Belgrave, Harold McKinney & her mother Dr. Mildred J. Dobey.
Miche’s Musical Direction & performance as Bessie Smith in the off Broadway production of The Devil’s Music: The Life & Blues of Bessie Smith garnered her and her collaborators (Joe Brancato director/conceiver & Angelo Parra playwright) four coveted NYC award nominations: The Drama Desk, Off Broadway Alliance, the Lucille Lortel and Audelco.
Miche is a featured performer in world renowned Pop Conductor Jeff Tyzik’s Return to the Cotton Club sharing the stage with Byron Stripling & Ted Louis Levy.
Miche’s other theater credits: Mammy in the World Premiere of “Gone with the Wind” at the Royal Manitoba Theater Center in Winnipeg, Canada. She has appeared in and served as musical director/arranger in “The People’s Temple”, “Gee’s Bend”, “The Bluest Eye”, “Mahalia: A Gospel Musical”, “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill”, “Hot Snow: The Story of Valaida Snow”, and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”. She originated the role of Duchess DeLovely in the original cast of “Hats: The Red Hat Society Musical”. She has appeared in 2 “Law & Order SVU” episodes & arranged vocals for Spike Lee’s movie project “Da Sweet Blood Of Jesus”.
As a singer, Miche has recorded with Regina Carter “Accentuate The Positive”, Gayelynn McKinney “The New Beginning” both artists with whom she shared the stage with in Straight Ahead. She’s also on James Carter’s “Gardenias for Lady Day” & “At The Crossroads”. She has received almost 20 Million YouTube views on her 6 “Post Modern Jukebox” recordings & tour videos. Miche’s original compositions & arrangements can be heard on her CD “Diva Out of Bounds-Ms. Miche”.
Miche was the featured singer in Damien Foundation’s 2009 Gospel’s For Life tour in Belgium and France, and a featured artist in the Absolute Gospel Festival in Lyon, France.
Miche received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Black Women in Jazz & Fine Arts/Theater (March 2019).