Dwayna Litz
Singer, Songwriter, Author, Speaker, Health Coach
Dwayna Litz is an American singer, songwriter, author and speaker with music currently published by Universal Music, Spirit Music and her own ASCAP publishing company, Litz Music in Nashville.
Her music is available on Pandora Radio, Spotify, Apple Music, Walmart, CD Baby, iTunes , Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. Her CD “I’m the Girl I Used to Know Again” of love songs she has written and Jazz CD “Counting Your Blessings,” recorded with a full orchestra of new renditions of the Great American Songbook, especially compliment her tips for women from her latest book Happiness No Man Required. She writes and sings of romance and what it means to truly fall in love with a confidence from within no one else can give.
Dwayna’s first cut as a songwriter was on Patti LaBelle’s Grammy nominated “Flame” album with a song she co-wrote, “Let Me Be There for You.” She went on to have more cuts in country music. Dwayna just co-produced her latest album in Nashville of funky, bluegrass standards called “Mountain Music,” along with new renditions of classics like “Take Me Home Country Roads” for a distribution deal with Barnes and Noble and Walmart.
FOR FULL DISCOGRAPHY AND LIST OF BOOKS GO TO DWAYNALITZ.COM
In 2015, she penned her uplifting, self-help book for women Happiness No Man Required 50 Tips for Single Women to be Happy With or Without a Man and now travels as an author and speaker offering inspiration and entertainment. With her testimony of strength and thanksgiving, she shares from her 50 tips, illustrated by true stories about the men she has dated and lessons she has learned. Dwayna ends her speaking with her song, “I’m the Girl I Used to Know Again,” about coming full circle in healing through the beauty of every season of both heartache and love.
With more women single than married now in America, Happiness No Man Required by Dwayna Litz has a much needed message with 50 Tips teaching women how to feel complete and whole, with or without a man’s affirmation. Happiness No Man Required is not a man-basher but an honest portrayal of what women face in today’s dating scene, compassionately encouraging women to realize that being single or married does not have to be a distortion of their dreams coming true.
Dwayna’s tips include Know the Difference Between Love and Love Addiction; Hitler Was Charming, Too; Give Yourself 90 Days to Detox; Count Your Blessings; Leave Mr. Wrong Without Gaining Weight; Happiness=Compatibility in Character; It’s a Trap if You Are Trying to Save Him; Beware of Online Dating; A Crazy Man Will Make You Crazy; How to Have a Happy Valentine’s Day Without a Man; Good Men Still Exist; Do a Background Check; Hold On to Your Money; An Abuser Will Still Be Abusive Even if You are Perfect; Beware of Dangerous Men in Church; You Are the Prize, and Happiness Happens When You Least Expect It. The tips bring both tears of sadness and tears of joy to any audience as they resonate with women from all walks of life.
Happiness No Man Required praises true love and good men, instructing women how to know the difference between the good and the bad and love and love addiction. Litz cheers single women on living in a postmodern age where the label of being called an Old Maid has become antiquated. Her tips offer healing to women suffering from depression, anxiety, codependency, sexual abuse, spiritual abuse, eating disorders and love addiction.
An engaging, charismatic speaker, all of Dwayna’s 50 Tips shift the quest of finding romance with a man to first discovering how to become at peace from within. Litz promises any woman that when she learns to like and approve of the woman she is and realizes what it means to be true to herself as her own best friend, no man is required for a happy and fulfilling life.
QUOTES
"Dwayna has always been a star. Her voice is so warm and expressive that you feel like you have found a dear friend as soon as you hear her sing. Her new collection is intimate and cozy, confessional and honest. Refreshingly free of over produced bombast and wonderfully easy on the ears. Dwayna and her timeless music are excellent company. Experience her delightful musical presence for yourself..." --Vip Vipperman, songwriter BMI Billionaire Award for writing “1982” recorded by Randy Travis, ASCAP award for “1982” by Randy Travis, Nominated for CMA Song of the Year; Grammy Award for Best Country Album “The Cold, Hard Truth” by George Jones for his third single “Sinners and Saints” (Discography also includes cuts with Reba McEntire , LeAnne Rimes, Trace Adkins and John Michael Montgomery)
“The first time I met Dwayna I knew without question she was bound for success. She has a passion and a joy for life and her music. Being a former A&R executive, it’s one of the most important qualities we look for in an artist. She has all of that and more. Dwayna can deliver songs in all styles, whether it be Jazz, big band, bluegrass or contemporary country. Dwayna’s music will be a beautiful blessing to you.” --Larry Shell, songwriter and former A&R director at Polydor Records, A&M Records and Broken Bow Records (Discography includes co-writing “Murder on Music Row” , which was CMA Song of the Year recorded by George Strait and Alan Jackson)
“What an artist to collaborate with! Dwayna has an earthy, authentic and soulful country voice that is unmistakably hers. And her beauty of musical Spirit matches her physical beauty as well. Believe me, that helps in today’s market. I was so happy and proud to hear the finished product of Dwayna’s production of our song ‘Yes I Would.’ As I continue to listen to the whole album ‘I’m the Girl I Used to Know Again,’ I am so impressed. She has great songs and has chosen great musicians, singers and studios to make for a CD of great performances. I believe this album is a classic, and I’m so proud to be her friend and co-writer.” --Hubert Eaves III, musician, producer, writer, arranger for such artists as Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston, Madonna, D Train, Aretha Franklin, Biggie Smalls, Miles Davis, most notably
“Dwayna Litz is a deeply moving singer, strongly connected to the message in her songs. She has the ability to draw in an audience because of her expressive vocalism and musicality. Dwayna sets herself apart from other singers because of her professionalism and innate musicianship.” --Matthew Odell, pianist
“I was recently surprised when I received a copy of a CD project I played on. In the studio it was hard to tell what the end result was to be. I was smiling ear to ear when I heard Dwayna’s wonderful voice on the recording. She has such great presence and control. I was very impressed with the down to earth and soulful feeling conveyed in her music. I’d be happy to share the stage with Dwayna in any musical situation. Keep your eyes and ears focused on her! She’s an angel....” --John Allred, Jazz Trombonist
“Dwayna Litz can sing…” –Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives
“Dwayna is one of the most expressive singers I've had the pleasure to work with. It's rare to find an artist who sings from their heart and their soul.” –Mark Miller, mixing engineer for Garth Brook’s mega hit album “No Fences” and all of Garth’s albums, currently working as producer and engineer for Garth Brooks
BACKGROUND
Born in Knoxville, TN, Dwayna Litz began performing in front of audiences at age two in churches, civic clubs and weddings. Dwayna grew up singing hymns in Baptist churches as a soloist, traveling as a child to sing in revival meetings throughout America, as well as Korea, Haiti and India. Dwayna shared platforms with Christian artists such as Larnelle Harris, opening for him in concert at age ten. Charles Stanley, then president of the Southern Baptist Convention, said he was very impressed with her when she sang at age twelve in his church First Baptist Atlanta when her microphone stopped working, and she just kept on singing. Dwayna had a leading role singing in an opera at age ten, “The Happy Prince.” She won “Best of Show” in musical theater for the state of FL when she was a sophomore in high school for her rendition of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” at FL State University.
Dwayna Litz recorded her third album in Nashville at age fifteen with the CMA orchestra arranger Australian Bill Walker, which was the same year she opened for Charlie McClain and her husband Wayne Massey at the Central FL State Fair. She spent the following summer at age sixteen singing country and bluegrass music at Archie Campbell’s Hee Haw Village in Pigeon Forge, TN, and moved to Nashville at age seventeen and spent her senior year of high school hanging out backstage at the Grand Ole Opry and singing on the Grand Ole Gospel music hour on Saturday nights. Dwayna began singing demos and jingles on Music Row at age eighteen and signed her first publishing deal in Nashville at age nineteen with Harris Richardson Music, whose catalog was later sold to Universal. She was signed as an artist with Larry Butler producing that same year. She also worked with Buddy Killen at age twenty-one when Buddy signed her as a singer/songwriter at Buddy Killen Music saying she was “star quality.” The catalog was sold to Cal IV Entertainment, which was then bought by Spirit Music. Dwayna was later signed to Sanjek Entertainment with Rick Sanjek as manager in Nashville. She has had production deals with Arista Records and Warner Brothers . Mark Miller (currently the producer for Garth Brooks and the former engineer for Garth Brooks album “No Fences” and all of his hit records) produced Dwayna recording songs such as “Sweet Memories” written by Garth Brooks and Pat Alger and “Lovin’ On The Edge” by Kostas at Jack’s Tracks Studios owned by Allen Reynolds on Music Row. Dwayna has worked with award winning writers in Nashville such as Larry Shell, Bruce Burch, Vip Vipperman, Sam Lorber, Michael Garvin, Greg Barnhill, Gloria Sklerov and Rivers Rutherford. Lulu Roman recorded “When I Don’t Call Your Name” co-written by Dwayna Litz, Tony Harrell and Mike Wells on her album “Seven Times” with performances on cable networks including CBN. She has trained at the Singer’s Forum in NYC where she was offered a scholarship to study musical theater and been coached by Renee Grant Williams while working as a recording artist in Nashville. She entertained three nights a week around Manhattan in the 90s with a song list of 100 songs from the Great American Songbook. Dwayna’s music video “Satisfy My Soul” was featured on Music Dish in 2012, an old Jazz standard first recorded by Ella Johnson in 1950.
Working mostly out of NYC and Nashville, Dwayna currently lives in Nashville and works as a singer, songwriter, author and inspirational speaker. She continues to expand her versatility as an artist and has written and recorded in the genres of country, pop, R&B, soul, Jazz, Adult Contemporary, bluegrass, musical theater and Christian music.
More information about Dwayna Litz can be found on her web site at DwaynaLitz.com.
