BACKSTORY: From Ashton Drake publicity:
It was said that the only thing more beautiful than Violet Waters' face was her voice. It was a voice that perfectly suited her name, smooth and flowing, with a silver ripple that gave no hint of the rocks and turns hidden beneath the surface. These rocks and turns had been a lifelong reality for Violet. But they were only things to conquer and overcome, because Violet was a girl with dreams'and a gift to share with the world.
Violet Waters was born amidst the Twenties' roar. She was nurtured in the classics by her father, a literature professor at Central State College, a prestigious Black school. And from the time she was a baby, her life was filled with music, listening to her grandmother play the church organ while her mother sang in the choir (and every waking minute of the day). But, most importantly, her family filled her with a sense of pride and taught her always to be true to herself, no matter the odds.
With mixed emotions, Violet's close-knit family waved goodbye to their little flower as she went off to Chicago to fulfill her destiny. Soon she was playing smoky jazz clubs, electrifying the Windy City with her stylings. Almost immediately, word of her talent began to travel through the jazz world, bringing gigs across the country and especially in Europe, where she was embraced as a true jazz star.
However, back in Hollywood, things were not quite as rosy. Major studios contacted her, but they only seemed to want her to play servants or to pass her off as a new South American bombshell. Violet would have none of it, however: her family had impressed upon her the importance of being true to her heritage. Suddenly, a fan and friend brought Violet and Monolithic Studios together - and Hollywood and jazz history were made!
