Diunna Greenleaf
- Fort Bend Museum
- Dec 14, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 6
Diunna Greenleaf, born on October 6, 1957, in Houston, Texas, grew up in the church. Her parents, Ben and Mary Ella were both involved in gospel music. Her musical influences include Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, and Koko Taylor. Before venturing into music, Greenleaf earned a degree in Mass Communication from Prairie View A&M University. Her musical style is a blend of jazz, soul, and gospel, taking listeners on an emotional roller coaster.
Greenleaf and her band, The Blue Mercy, have performed across the U.S. and internationally, appearing at festivals such as the Lugano Blues Festival, the Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland, and the Cahors Blues Festival in France. Additionally, she has opened for and performed with many renowned artists, including James Cotton, Carrie Bell, Smoking Joe Kubek, Big Bill Morganfield, and Teddy “Cry Cry” Reynolds.
Her passion for jazz extends beyond performing. For three years, she has served as the president of the Houston Blues Society, becoming the first woman to hold this position. During her tenure, she launched the Willie Mae Thornton Blues Festival and established the annual Houston Blues Society Founders Day, while also actively participating in the Blues in Schools Program throughout Texas. She is also one of the founders of Friends of Blues Montgomery County.
Over the years, Greenleaf has received numerous musical awards and nominations. In 2008, she won the "Best New Artist Debut" at the Blues Music Awards and was nominated for "Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year"—a nomination she received again in 2009. In 2012, she was nominated for the "Koko Taylor Award—Traditional Blues Female," which she went on to win in 2014 and 2017, along with the "Traditional Blues Album" award for "Trying to Hold On." Her song “Trying to Hold On” reached #1 on the XM/Sirius Radio Bluesville Chart and topped the French Blues and Living Blues charts in December 2012. She has also reached the top of the blues charts in the UK, Australia, and the USA.
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