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Sacramento native Dawn Silva talks about new book,

career as funk vocalist

Silva sat down with ABC10 to talk about her book, her musical career, her brief stint in the Black Panthers, and some Sacramento history.

Author: abc10.com

Published: 2:44 PM PDT May 17, 2023

Updated: 2:44 PM PDT May 17, 2023

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Renowned Funk Icon Dawn Silva Releases Autobiography

Sacramento Region, CA (MPG)  |  New Rising Publishing News Release

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Dawn’s story is “the story of a rebellious American female recording artist who escaped an era of subjugated institutions, misogyny, and physical and mental abuse, beating the odds and recapturing a worldwide underground cult following,” said New Rising Publishing Executive Director Henry Mayers. Photo courtesy of New Rising Publishing

“The Funk Queen Dawn Silva: An Autobiography” is a limited-edition 544-page book published by New Rising Publishing. Courtesy photo

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - New Rising Publishing is pleased to announce the release of the publication “The Funk Queen Dawn Silva: An Autobiography.”  The deluxe coffee-table book spans the wide-screen life and career of funk icon Dawn Silva who was the founder and lead vocalist for the George Clinton-created Brides of Funkenstein, while also having enjoyed stints as a vocalist in some of funk music’s greatest groups including Sly & The Family Stone, Parliament Funkadelic and the Gap Band.

As a memoir, the publication serves as a reference work that touches on Silva’s participation in many key historical events and developments within the funk music genre while also serving as a cautionary tale as Silva navigated through a myriad number of inequities, challenges, and obstacles as a woman artist in the male-dominated music industry of the 1970s and 1980s. 

“My mother once said that there is nothing in the music industry that prepares you for that lifestyle,” said Silva.  “She was right, and it was all the motivation I needed to complete my autobiography.  I felt very strongly about putting my story in print in hopes of it inspiring and empowering those who read it.” 

First Friday August 2023, "The Funk Queen" comes home to the Historic Oak Park District
by LA Sentinel
Mon, Jul 17, 2023 8:09PM

Sacramento, California is forever the global headquarters for "The Funk Queen." First Friday in August 2023, will begin something special here in the Historic Oak Park District... stay tuned...

Are you ready for the funk?

According to Dawn Silva a singer and now author of the new book, “The Funk Queen,” Silva states, “Funk is timeless and very much alive.” The book is published by New Rising Publishing.

The book is a brilliant autobiography that describes Silva’s musical background, which included her dad who Silva says had a beautiful voice, and her mother who was a dancer and performer. Silva also mentions her great-grandfather, who played acoustic guitar.

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