Vaneese

Vaneese’s voice will pop up almost anywhere, day or night, weekdays, weekends or in commercials with Radio One Washington DC stations. “You’ll always find me on Sundays from 8 am am to 11 am but mostly I’m the news anchor and producer for the Russ Parr Morning Show on Majic 102.3. I still get out to different venues, there is always an opportunity to be out and about at places like concerts, fundraisers or right in the neighborhood.” Radio is a road filled with bumps and turns and you always have to be ready for the next detour. “I came to 102.3 after a format change, the station simply changed directions, literally.” For a little more than 10 years you may have heard her luminous voice throughout the night as host of smooth jazz “Lights Out Washington” or listened to her warm personality navigate afternoon drive in the Washington market. Raised in Detroit and attending Cass Tech’s Performing Arts curriculum Vaneese found that she enjoyed being behind the scenes in radio. “My original intention was to produce award winning radio commercials…that all changed during an internship when the program director asked me if I wanted to go on the air.” It was the proverbial turning point in her career. Finishing a degree at the University of Detroit (before consolidating with Mercy College) and a few part time gigs later in Urban Adult Contemporary, Disco and New Wave Vaneese eventually landed a full time slot as host of “Jazz On AM” at a station owned by the late Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg. It wasn’t long before she moved back over to FM, this time as host of an evening program. Building a radio resume at several stations in Detroit in various formats Vaneese has always maintained jazz as her consummate forte. Vaneese got married (on Valentine’s day), had two children before Washington, DC called, in need of a host for an evening jazz show. “At the time we weren’t quite ready to make the move,” but when the second call came almost a year later the timing was perfect. “Leaving family, friends and familiar places is tough but my husband and I were looking for a new adventure in a new city which is how we landed in the DC market.”

• Email