Anthony Russell

Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell is an American singer and musician who performs in Yiddish. He is an African-American convert to Judaism. Early life and education Russell was born in 1980 in Fort Worth, Texas to a Christian family, moving around frequently as a military brat as his father was in the US Navy. When Russell was seven, his family settled in Vallejo, California. Encouraged by his mother, a former classical pianist, Russell gained a deep interest in music. He describes himself as an autodidact, teaching himself to read and play music, and gaining a detailed knowledge of the Bible. He was homeschooled from 6th grade. He earned a degree in music at Holy Names University in Oakland, California. Career After graduating from Holy Names University, he began a career as a bass opera singer in San Francisco and New York. His professional debut was in the world premiere of Appomattox by Philip Glass. He has stated that formerly he deliberately avoided singing Negro spirituals to avoid stereotypes of African-American classical singers. After converting to Judaism, Russell considered studying to become a cantor, but ultimately decided against it. He encountered the Yiddish song "Dem Milners Trern" ("The Miller's Tears") while watching the film A Serious Man, which led to him researching the work of singer Sidor Belarsky and early 20th century Jewish music. He has cited Paul Robeson and Josephine Baker as personal inspirations.