QueenieToVahn

In the life of QueenieToVahan

QueenToVahn was born as Shirley Yvonne Armstrong to parents Shirley Clinton Mclean and the late Raymond Armstrong. Shirley was born in Newark, New Jersey and resided there in a house located on 4th Street until she was approximately nine years old. Shirley remembers quite well around the age four or five that then she knew she wanted to be a singer. She recalls spending several hours day in and day out singing. She spent so much time singing that she also recalls getting on her sisters nerves. While in Newark, Shirley attended Sussex Avenue Elementary School.

Shirley is one of eight girls. She comes from a very musical background. Her mother loved to sing and write poetry and lyrics; but a more well known talent was her uncle. George Clinton, Gold Selling artist and lead singer to the Parliament and the Funkadelics, is Shirley’s uncle.

At the age of nine Shilrey’s mother moved her and her and her then five sisters down south to North Carolina. In Greensboro is where Shirley was raised and continues to live today. In North Carolina Shirley attended Peck Elementary School, Gillespie Junior High and Smith High School.

During her years attending Gillespie Junior High School and Smith High School Shirley was in the Choral Choirs. After High School at the age of 19, Shirley became a member of and starting touring with the band, The Mighty Majors. Some of the bands touring sites included: Atlanta Georgia, Miami Florida and parts of Texas. The Mighty Majors played several country clubs and college frat parties. Among the several shows the group did, The Might Majors also performed for numerous wedding receptions.

Within the band everyone was responsible for the equipment. Performing was hard work, and the singers were the stage crew as well. “ Crawling before you walk, it was hard work, but you will work hard if you love your job and it will pay off in the end”, QueenieToVahn says. But it was never too much work QueenieToVahn which all the more shows that it is her destiny to be a performer, because she knows that before the glitz and glamour that there will be all kinds of tests of your commitment to your passion. Shirley not only sung lead but backup as well with the band. Her longtime friend and play brother, Lonnie Dotson, played keyboard for the band. During her years with The Mighty Majors, Shirley became pregnant and performed through her entire pregnancy. She traveled and performed well past her due date and her band manager had to take her off the road for fear that she would go into labor right on the stage. Shirley’s dedication and commitment to her craft was amazing. So because she was forced to Shirley took a backseat from the road trips and shortly later gave birth to her firstborn, a son, Antonio.

After putting in the time that Shirley did with the band and realizing that this is really what she wanted to pursue in her life as a career, she decided form her own group. In the early 1990’s Shirley created her first group, Shirley Clinton and the teasers. She used the name Clinton in tribute to her uncle for his hard work and making such a well known name for himself and creating a path for so many of his aspiring family members to follow.

Shirley Clinton and the Teasers performed in several High School Shows and played at the National Guard Armory. Shirley also traveled and performed in multiple college frat parties at big colleges including her hometowns very own North Carolina A and T State University. Shirley and the Teasers took a break after 3 years in the late 1990’s.

During that time Shirley was gave birth to her daughter, Shaqueena, and was briefly married. After her short marriage Shirley reformed the group, Shirley and the Teasers. She continued performing with group for 2 more years and then decided to go solo. During this time Shirley bought a home so that she could start her own at home daycare. By opening her own business she knew that she could work her music around her own schedule. This allowed more time for her to really focus on her dreams of becoming a performing artist. At this time Shirley created a new name for herself.

Shirley Armstrong now goes by the name QueenieToVahn. This name is combination of the names those dearest in her life; her daughter ShaQueena, her son AnTonio and her middle that she shares with her mother, Yvonne.

In 2005, QueenieToVahn was a finalist in Greensboro North Carolina’s Triad Idol Competition. Since then QueenieToVahn has finished her album entitled SoLove.