Solid Harmony
A group of ladies who happened to enjoy each others company singing gospel music decided to add a sound of soulful, sultry tight harmony in rhythm, blues and jazz. One day the leader of the group, Topsy Chapman, who has been singing jazz in theatre, clubs and festivals for over twenty years, decided that it was time to start a group with her daughters, Yolanda and Jolynda.
Topsy noticed that audiences liked hearing different types of music in one setting, and of course this would not be a difficult task for them since there were many types of music played and sung in the house. Gospel music was Topsy's roots, but for the girls, they experienced as many genres of music as they could comprehend. They traveled extensively singing gospel, rhythm & blues and jazz. Topsy thought if they could do this, why not incorporate that into her act, so she started booking the group using the name Chapman Singers. Then, she thought the music became a variety, not just gospel, so the name of the group changed to Solid Harmony, a name for all occasions. Topsy became very fond of Wendy Myles and her deep melodious voice. She was perfect for the group and became another daughter to Topsy.
Topsy Chapman was born in New Orleans and grew up the youngest of 16 children in Kentwood, Louisiana, where she started her singing career in the Baptist Church with her family. Rooted in Kentwood, Louisiana, Topsy was greatly influenced by her father's musical talent. When she arrived in the "big city" of New Orleans at the age of 18, she sang in church and worked as a singing waitress on Bourbon Street, where she sang Dixieland standards. In 1972, she started a gospel singing group, The Chapman Singers, made up of friends and members of her extensive family. She composed many of the songs and did all the arrangements for the group, which appeared in schools, prisons, hospitals and hotels, as well as the New Orleans Jazz Festival. As one of the original cast members & vocal arrangers of the off Broadway hit "One Mo' Time", Topsy gained national and international recognition. The Show was critically acclaimed from New York to Europe with its cast album being nominated for the Grammy Awards.
The Chapman Singers, now called
"Solid Harmony," enchant listeners as they present the sounds
of New Orleans music
deeply rooted in a melodic and harmonic gospel style. The five ladies
currently perform gospel for Delta Steamboat
Company. They have also
performed
over the years at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage
Festival, as well as
festivals in Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Norway, and Japan. Members of
Solid
Harmony include Topsy, her daughters Yolanda Windsay and Jolynda
Phillips, and Wendy Myles. 
Passing on the legacy, up-crops a new generation, Yolanda Windsay. Since her early years she was destined for greatness. She has shared the stage with jazz greats Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Jimmy Heath, Nat Adderly, Joe Sample, Betty Carter, Billy Taylor, Terrence Blanchard and Bobby McFerrin in Cologne and Bohne Germany and for the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Yolanda also toured with Sandra Reaves Phillips in Bold and Brassy and "The Late Great Ladies of Blues and Jazz". She last toured with the Solid Harmony in Japan.
The family tree continues to blossom, Jolynda "Kikki" Phillips. Yes, this tree was definitely rooted in some fertile ground. Jolynda grew up in the musical family performing with her mother, Topsy Chapman and sister, Yolanda Windsay performing blues, jazz and gospel. Her smooth, sultry, soprano voice has enchanted many audiences locally, as well as broad. Jolynda performed in "The Late Great Ladies of Blues and Jazz". She continues her pursuits performing with Solid Harmony.
Wendy Myles is a very versatile musician. She started playing the piano at six years old and played the clarinet with her high school band. Wendy was invited to perform with the Columbus Junior Symphony Orchestra at the age of
fifteen. Wendy currently sings contralto with a gospel choir and performs with Topsy Chapman
and various musical engagements both locally and abroad.
Carol Dolliole LeBlanc, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, comes from a very large musical family rooted in clasical, jazz and gospel music. Carol learned to play piano from her piano teacher and mother Carol Chatters Dolliole. At the age of 12, she learned to play flute capturing the attention of many notable New Orleans' musicians. Carol has performed with many notable musicians. She enjoys teaching music and performing. Carol and Solid Harmony performed together for a wedding and from that point became family.
