Acclaimed singer NitaWhitaker (her resume includes singing the original demos for Whitney Houston) and her father, Green, share their true story in the new memoir, When Your Hand is in the Lion’s Mouth: The Life and Wisdom of a Man . This is so timely – especially as dated history creeps back into our lives. Her father uniquely shaped her through his daily guidance in a place, situation and time that would be complex for many. Growing up in the Jim Crow south, her father could only hope that progress would be made, living a life leaning into his optimism as fuel for his future family.
He gave her the tools to change how she saw, reacted and processed the world around her. We’d love to share some of their insights with you:
· When facing hurdles, her father would tell your kids (and yourself) to be accountable, “giving it your all, whether it’s 2 or 2,000” people watching.
· Today family foundations, like the importance of kids having a true sense of self, can give strength in the midst of circumstance and are vital in uncertain times.
· Civil rights are something that he saw change a country, change lives, change his life, change his daughter’s life. 96 years is a long time to have a snapshot of our country!
· Giving a truthful reality in a way that enlightens and shows room for potential over pain
ABOUT NITA WHITAKER
Nita Whitaker is a former ICU registered nurse-turned Miss Louisiana, an accomplished singer, and award-winning actress and author. A favorite singer of legendary producer David Foster, Whitaker has sung with some of the most famous voices of our time. She sang the original demos for Whitney Houston’s standards, “I Will Always Love You,” “I Have Nothing,” and “I Look to You” working with producers David Foster and Walter Nelson Jr. Having toured with Andrea’ Bocelli as a guest duet artist, as well a featured vocalist on tour with jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, Whitaker has performed with some of the great singers of our time including Michael Bolton, Lionel Ritchie, Yolanda Adams, Patti LaBelle, Barbra Streisand, Patti Austin, Josh Groban, and Michael Bublé. Whitaker’s first independently published memoir, Finding My Voice: My Journey through Grief to Grace, won the Indie Discovery Book Award (Aging/Death and Dying) and two National Indie Excellence Book Awards in the Grief and Memoir Categories. Born in Shreveport, LA, she champions literacy through her 501c3 non-profit In A World With Books (www.inaworldwithbooks.org) which has put 18,500 new books in the hands of underserved children and counting.
