Jearlyn Steele, a native of Indiana, discovered her destiny in Minnesota, where she began her journey as a singer. Encouraged by others, she took the leap and performed in churches, community centers, and nightclubs. This eventually led her to theater, where she has appeared at renowned venues such as the Penumbra Theater of St. Paul, the Old Log Theater in Excelsior, the Historical State Theater in downtown Minneapolis, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul, and the Guthrie Theater.
Over a decade ago, Jearlyn, along with her siblings, The Steeles, started a successful run of the pop/gospel musical "Gospel At Colonus," which made its way to Broadway in 1988 and finally to Carnegie Hall. After Colonus, Jearlyn was in the studio recording national and local commercials for companies such as Wilson Leather, Marshall Fields, Slumberland, Aveda, Target, and many more. Her voice can be heard on various CDs for national artists like George Clinton, Mavis Staples, and Prince, with whom she has toured and recorded a duet, entitled "Race."
Jearlyn has been a frequent special guest on the prestigious A Prairie Home Companion radio show and has served as an entertainment reporter for various shows at KTCA Public Television Minnesota. Among her honors are Newsmaker of the Year 1998 by the MN Women's Press, The William (Billy) Griffin Award by the Hallie Q. Brown Center, Beautiful Strong Woman 2002, and Honorary Member of the Gustavus Library Association. Jearlyn has also written and produced radio commercials.
Currently, she hosts a radio show at the CBS affiliate WCCO Radio 830 AM, where her talk show, Steele Talkin', can be heard every Sunday night from 7pm to 11pm in approximately thirty states nationwide and twelve territories. Jearlyn is a featured motivational singer at national award conferences for corporations such as Wells Fargo Bank, American Express Financial Services, and Carlson Wagonlit.
This has led her into another genre, public speaking, where she refers to herself as the singing speaker! Companies like G&K Companies, Executive Women's International St. Paul Chapter, Health Partners Professional & Support Staff Conference, and Northwest Agra Dealers are now incorporating her message on Balancing Life's Choices. From the former Soviet Union to parts of Asia, Jearlyn has shared her voice with elated audiences around the world.
As a mother of two, Jearlyn has branched out to become more involved in creating ways to affect women and children's lives in a positive way through music and public speaking. She has served on boards for the Ordway Circle of Stars and Chrysalis, a center for women. She is a member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artist (AFTRA),Screen Actors Guild (SAG),and Actor's Equity.
