Dee Dee McNeil, Neighbor

Dee Dee McNeil  is an educator, singer, songwriter, poet,  journalist, producer  and playwright. She has performed in over a dozen countries worldwide, entertaining in a number of five-star hotels. Dee Dee is a contract songwriter for Motown Records in her native Detroit, Michigan. She was one of the first women to rap in the late '60s and early '70s,  speaking up for women's rights. One of her raps about respect for women was used as the televised theme song during New Zealand's Miss Universe Contest in 1983. Currently residing in Southern California, McNeil stays busy performing in local jazz venues while also offering private vocal coaching.  For a few years she was director of artist development at California College of Music in Pasadena.