THE MUSIC OF MARLENA SMALLS

Marlena Smalls , Musical Consultant

Marlena Smalls is a versatile and dynamic entertainer, educator, singer and actress. She began singing at the age of 11 in Ohio and furthered her education at Central State University.

A sacred music vocalist, Marlena also ventures into gospel, contemporary, jazz and blues. She has performed for such dignitaries at Hillary Rodham Clinton, Marian Wright Edelman, US Secretary of Education Dick Riley and former SC Governors David Beasley and Jim Hodges. Mrs. Smalls recounts her performance for the Queen of England as her most memorable along with a performance at the Frankfurt Opera House in Frankfurt, Germany. Marlena has worked with film producer Joel Silver and Academy Award winners Tom Hanks, Demi Moore and Glenn Close. She has also performed with the likes of recording artist Melba Moore, Freda Payne and Academy Award winner Walker Hawkins and the Hawkins family.

In 1990, Marlena founded the Hallelujah Singers to preserve the Gullah culture of the South Carolina Sea Islands. She also founded the Gullah Festival in 1985 in Beaufort, South Carolina which now attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually. Her television and film credits include many productions for PBS, SCETV and GPTV. International audiences saw her as Bubba's mama in the Academy Award winning motion picture Forrest Gump.