Montenia was born in Detroit and traveled the world as a child while her father was in the US Air Force, before the family settled in Springfield, Massachusetts. Her early singing influences were Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald, but she soon forged her own sound and way in the musical world and stands proud and comfortable today as a vibrant vocalist skilled in many musical styles. She has performed in the Midwest, the South, Los Angeles and vicinity, Las Vegas, the East Coast, and overseas in Greece, Finland, Lapland and Estonia. In addition to singing and working with vocal students, Montenia is also the owner and chef at Montenia's Creative Comfort Cuisine Restaurant in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Direct from Finland and available once again!
Montenia has appeared many times in Scandinavia, but most often in Helsinki, Finland with the Wade Mikkola Trio Plus One (Lasse Hirvi, piano; Wade Mikkola, bass; Tomi Parkkonen, drums; and Joonatan Rautio, tenor saxophone). “Each and Every Day” was recorded on December 12, 1999 at the Happy Jazz Club Storyville on a night with Montenia and her backing musicians in splendid form. Familiar standards and other musical gems are on hand, all  performed to summon up a variety of emotional moods, the very same ones we all face and experience “Each and Every Day.”

Click one of the CD covers below to purchase.

Emma Henderson, a student of Montenia’s was recently interviewed on WFCR-88.5 FM. Listen to the interview.