Renee Proffitt

"Renee Proffitt.....her ethereal voice and bouncy, beautiful folk tunes call to mind Rosie Thomas or Eva Cassiday."
- Jay Cridlin, TBT

Renee Proffitt is a folk/acoustic rock singer/songwriter based in St. Petersburg, FL. She has been singing for most of her life and wrote her first song in 2008, around the time she began doing crossword puzzles and listening to the Beatles. Renee is convinced that this was the magical formula that jump-started her brain’s creative juices. Much of Renee's music relates life experiences and exhibits an appreciation for the opportunity to glean wisdom from any situation. Personal trials, whether her own or other’s, have most often been the catalyst of her musical expression. She has put to good use her classical vocal training and melodic guitar playing by writing songs with relatable, heart-felt lyrics and haunting melodies that capture the emotion of a situation. Her vocal style, which ranges from soulful expression to ethereal reflection, has been compared to Priscilla Ahn, Regina Spektor, Ingrid Michaelson and Brooke Fraser. Renee has been a member of several local bands including Old North East (guitar/vocals 2008-2010) and Yellow Capello (vocals/keys 2010-2011), a collaboration resulting in a well-received album. She has recently ventured out on her own to perform her original songs with percussionist David Daniels, former drummer for 10th Concession. The two joined forces after quitting their bands around the same time for the same reasons; both bands were looking to go on tour in the near future and neither Renee or David were willing to leave behind family life to do so. With a desire to continue to play live music, David contacted his performance-reluctant friend and convinced her to play a show while he accompanied her. Soon after, he was booking her gigs at places including Hideaway Café and State Theatre. David acts as what Renee has affectionately labeled him, “her self-imposed manager”. David accompanies Renee in her performances by playing the cajon, or, “the box”. This adds a little extra “kick” to their acoustic set. Except for one studio recorded song (Bewitched), the songs found on Renee’s website are simple home recordings. She has been in and out of the studio in hopes of releasing a full-length album by the end of the year.