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2019, performed with Detroit jazz all-stars at tribute to Detroit saxophone legend, George Benson at Detroit Jazz Festival
2019, performed at V.I.P. party to open Detroit Jazz Festival
2018, 2013, performed with internationally-acclaimed bassist, Rodney Whitaker, and the Michigan State U. Professors of Jazz, in an all-star Christmas concert, and with Whitaker in past years at his Women in jazz Concert Series and as a guest artist and clinician at his Michigan State University Jazzorama
2018, 2013, led her sextet in performances at Ann Arbor’s Kerrytown Concert Hall
2016-17, performed with the Detroit Jazz Festival All-Stars at the Mackinac Island Policy Conference
2015, performed at 100th Anniversary Tribute to Billie Holiday with the Wayne State U. Jazz Band at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall and again at the Detroit Jazz Festival
2015, performed Irish jazz with Chris Collins’ Jazz From the Shamrock Shore at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe
2015, performed at the Concert of Colors Tribute to trumpet legend, Marcus Belgrave, at Orchestra Hall
2014-15, featured vocalist with Detroit jazz Festival All-Stars at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe and Ann Arbor’s Kerrytown Concert Hall
2014, performed with the Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra, led by and in tribute to iconic Detroit big band leader, Jimmy Wilkins
2014, featured vocalist with the Detroit Jazz Festival All-Stars in a Tribute to Horace Silver and Detroit saxophone legend, Sonny Red
2013, performed with internationally-acclaimed pianist Geri Allen and Detroit jazz all-stars at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor
2013, featured artist at the Grove Music Festival in Midland, Michigan
2013 and 2012, featured artist at the Detroit Jazz Festival-sponsored Divas Concert at the Eleanor and Edsel Ford House
2013 and 2004, collaborated with Detroit Dance Collective in staging multi-media jazz-dance concerts
2012, featured soloist on “The Sacred Music of Duke Ellington”, first at Orchestra Hall and, later that year, at the Detroit Jazz Festival
2012, led her own group as a featured artist at the Detroit Jazz Festival
2011, as one of Aretha Franklin’s favorite jazz vocalists, performed at her annual Christmas party, and for Aretha on many occasions in past years
2011, in concert at Orchestra Hall as part of the Detroit Symphony’s Jazz Educational Series
2010, performed at the Grand Hotel Jazz Festival on Mackinac Island
Performed many times at the Detroit Jazz Festival (formerly, the Ford/Detroit International Jazz Festival, and the Montreux/Detroit Jazz Festival) since its inception in the early 1980’s through, and including, 2019
Opened concerts for many international artists, including Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, and Tania Maria
2002, performed “Shop Around” for Smoky Robinson, upon his receiving the International Achievement Award at the Michigan Governor’s Arts Awards
1998, performed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with the Detroit Jazz All-Stars, which included trumpeter, Marcus Belgrave and saxophonist, George Benson
1992-94, led a 6-piece group, featuring Belgrave and Benson
1984-85, featured vocalist on soundtrack of Fox Network sitcom, “Duet”
’80’s, sang locally with the Stan Kenton Band
1975-’80’s, sang National Anthem at final Detroit Lions game at Tiger Stadium and then at many games at the Silverdome
1976, performed Rachmaninoff’s “Vocalise” with the Detroit Symphony
Performed, over the years, with a number of community symphony orchestras, including the Southfield, Royal Oak, Rochester, and Warren, and Pontiac/Oakland Symphony Orchestras
1969, began a 21-year association as featured vocalist with the 21-piece Brookside Jazz Ensemble, initiating the popular “P’Jazz” Series at Detroit’s Pontchartrain Hotel
’60’s, sang for four years with Jack Brokensha, internationally-known vibraphonist, formerly with the Australian Jazz Quintet
1960-63, featured performer on WJR-Radio in Detroit on the Music Hall Cavalcade with Jimmy Lontz
’50’s and ’60’s, in frequent demand as a commercial jingle singer
1956-1960, regular live performer on WJR-Radio in Detroit as a choral member and featured singer with Don Large and the Make Way For Youth Chorus
1951-’55, regular performer on the Auntie Dee Show, a popular children’s variety program on WXYZ-TV
2018, received Lifetime Achievement Award from Kimmie Horne at the Kimmie Horne Jazz Festival
2013, featured in PBS documentary, ”Detroit, Remember When: The History of Detroit Television”, as the first regularly-featured black entertainer on Detroit TV
2012, received Lifetime Achievement award at the Detroit Black Music Awards, honoring her then-60-year career as a jazz vocalist in Detroit
2011, honored by Detroit Symphony Orchestra for Contribution to the Detroit Jazz Community
2011, ’04, and ’00, was named Outstanding Jazz Vocalist at the Detroit Music Awards
2007, received the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Aretha Franklin Award in Recognition of Accomplishments in Performing Arts, presented by Aretha Franklin
2006, was honored by the Detroit Metro Area Musicians and Entertainers Association with the Teddy Harris, Jr. Legendary Music Award
2000, was elected to the Metro Times Music Awards Hall of Fame
2000, received the Southeastern Michigan jazz Association (SEMJA) Jazz Artist of the Year Award for Contributions to the Performing Arts and Excellence in Music
1997, received the Midwest Arts Legends of Jazz Hall of Fame Award
1997, was honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the People of Wayne County
1995, received the Michigan Council For the Arts Outstanding Musicians Award
1979, won the Clio Award for best vocal performance on a commercial
’70’s, entertained offers to tour internationally with the Harry James Band, the Stan Kenton Band, the Count Basie Band, and as an opening act for Tony Bennett, all of which Ursula elected to turn down to remain in Detroit with her young children
1960, traveled to New York to audition with Harry Belafonte for his upcoming television special, was considered too youthful-looking for the ingenue part, but was subsequently offered a contract with the William Morris Agency, which Ursula declined as she was not ready to travel at the time
1953-54, at the age of 12-13, performed at the iconic Ziggy Johnson Extrvaganza at Detroit’s Latin Quarter, the premier showplace for national and local black performers in the city
1953, at the age of 12, received offer to record with Mercury Records, which was turned down because of her age
1953, presented with a special award at the Detroit News Music Festival for being the youngest performer in the Festival
For the past 8 years, mentor for the winning vocalist for the Detroit Jazz Festival-sponsored Diva Competition
Over the years, put on clinics at Detroit-area schools and colleges, including University of Michigan and U of M/Dearborn, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, and Northwestern Michigan College
2016, guest artist mentoring cast of “Ain’t Misbehavin’” at Detroit Country Day School
2014-18, Detroit Jazz Festival-sponsored mentor to the jazz vocal program at Detroit School of Arts
1998, joined the Sisters in Jazz mentoring program, an endeavor devoted to mentoring and encouraging young, talented women in jazz music, and performed with them at the Montreux/Detroit Jazz Festival
Early ’90’s, jazz vocal chair at the Center for Creative Studies Institute of Music and Dance
’80’s, mentored young people at the Actors’ Alliance Theatre Company
Past 7 years, led musical performance at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall and Book Cadillac Hotel to raise funds for multiple myeloma research
2014-17, led musical performance for the “Night For Sight” to benefit vision research
Helped establish and performed for the Henry Ford Hospital-West Bloomfield Music Heals Program
2011, as volunteer, performer and planner on the steering committee, of fundraising event at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall to benefit Children’s Leukemia
1994-2011, as volunteer, sang the National Anthem and a song for the survivors of breast cancer at the Susan G. Komen Detroit Race For the Cure
For many years, volunteered her talents for cancer-related events for Karmanos and Gilda’s Club
1997-99, served as board member for C.H.I.P. (Creative Healing Initiative Partnership), organization dedicated to addressing the under-met healthcare needs of the artistic community
’70’s-’90’s and beginning again in 2018, regular participant in fund-raising events for Focus Hope
’80’s, co-hosted, with Soupy Sales, the Telethon For the Mentally Retarded
’70’s-’80’s, performed at many events for Head Start
’70’s-’80’s, regular participant at events and Telethons For Muscular Dystrophy
’60’s, performed for inmates at Jackson State Penitentiary
1953-60, beginning in the final year of the Korean War, entertained service men and women for the U.S.O.
2013 Today and Yesterday”, Ursula Walker
2011 “New Beginnings”, Doug Halladay
1998 “Unwind”, Compilation of Detroit jazz Artists, Creative Healing Initiative
Partnership and Gilda’s Club
1998 “Hope For the Holidays”, Detroit Jazz Greats, S & S Entertainment Group
1997 “You Be the Judge”, Myron Wahls Trio
1995 “Focusing the Vision”, Vincent York
1988-89 Sound Track of Fox Television Network sitcom, “Duet”
1982 “The Montreux/Detroit Collection, Volume Two: An Evening of Song”
1981 “Cookbook No. 1”, Brookside Jazz Ensemble
1976 “Boppin’ at Bobbie’s”, Jack Brokensha Trio, featuring Ursula Walker
1975 “Jazz Mass”, James Tatum
2002-19, wrote and performed lyrics to numerous jazz instrumentals