Ane' - Mystery Solved!

Regular readers will no doubt be aware that over recent weeks two albums and a single have appeared from an artist named Ane'.  I couldn't find any information on her at the time and speculated that her name may well be Shirley Anne Marshall based on the fact that most of her material was written under that name.

I can now confirm that she is indeed Shirley (Anne) Marshall who spent 26 years (1990-2016) as a member of a reformed Shirelles led by original member Beverly Lee who won the rights to the name.  Shirley Owens/Alston/Alston-Reeves led another 'splinter' group with the name Shirley Alston-Reeves & The Shirelles.

Ane' is on right, Beverly Lee centre

She is originally from Newark, NJ, but relocated to, and now performs in, Las Vegas in 2005, at which point she changed her stage name to simply Ane'. In 2017 she was inducted into the Las Vegas Entertainers Hall Of Fame.

Also, as I originally suspected, her 'latest' album 'Learning To Love Myself' was in fact recorded in 2005, whether or not it was released then I don't know, but I don't think it got released (it is on Discogs as a CDr unreleased promo only). It originally had 16 tracks but the recent release has only 14. One of the 'missing' tracks is the one she has just released as a single 'If I'd Only Known', which is a song she wrote after the sudden and unexpected death of a close friend and her father. The other 'missing' track is called 'Surrender', so don't be surprised if that appears as the next single.

She released her first album on CD, 'Once Upon A Time', in 1997 as Shirley Marshall which she repackaged in 2005 as 'My Story Volume 1' as Ane'. The album consists of eight original songs written by Ane' along with covers of 'It's Too Late' (Carole King) and, what she describes as, a soulful-Brazilian rendition of 'Use Me' (Bill Withers). It is still available to purchase on Amazon (link on image below), although sound samples are no longer available, but there are some on her website (first web link below), and I found a few on her YT channel and have embedded below.

Four of the tracks were released on a 12" EP in 1997 on SAMA #ECHO-2293 as Shirley Marshall.

Once Upon A Time

Lover Man

I Choose You

Her cover of Janet Jackson's 'Anytime, Any Place' (which is on 'Learning To Love Myself') was released on an Expansion compilation 'Andreas Hellingh Presents Soul Exposed' in 2005.

The first album that appeared this year was a covers album, 'Where I'm Coming From', which I would say is a more recent album as her voice sounds 'older'.

Since 2018, she has her own show production in Las Vegas which she has titled 'This Is A Man’s World…..Buttt'

Ane' [2021] - If I'd Only Known [Self Released]

The mystery lady Ane', who I believe is Shirley Ann Marshall as most of her songs are written under that name, but I can find no further information about her, so if anyone knows any details then please leave a comment.

Having released an album of covers 'Where Im Coming From' on 1 Apr, she then released another album 'Learning To Love Myself Vol. 2' on 15 Apr which sounds like it was recorded earlier than 2021, possibly 90s/00s, she has now released a new single on 4 May which isn't on either album.

Its a timeless, smooth and soulful ballad that's six and a half minutes long.

Details

Rating:	8.2
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Year:	04/05/2021
Key:	4A/54
Value:	£1

Ane' [2021] - Learning To Love Myself, Vol. 2 [Self Released] (Full Album)

I posted an album 'Where I'm Coming From' by Ane' only last week, and to be perfectly honest I wasn't particularly complementary about it as many of the tracks sounded off-key to my ears. Well, she has just released another album 'Learning To Love Myself, Vol. 2' on 15 Apr 2021 and sounds like a completely different, much better, singer. So my guess is that perhaps this is an earlier recording when she was younger as her voice sounds much stonger?

All the tracks, except for 'Anytime, Anyplace' (which is a cover of Janet Jackson song from 1993) were written by a combination of Mike Warner and Shirley Ann Marshall, so again I am guessing that she may be Shirley Ann Marshall .. and perhaps the album was recorded in the 90s as it's got that early 90s feel about it?

This album is pretty consitent all through, and if I'm right that it was recorded in the 90s it stands up well in 2021. 

Don't be fooled by the slow and smouldering intro to her version of Jackson's 'Anytime, Anyplace' as it picks up pace into a good latin jazz flava'd dancer and is probably my choice cut on the album. 'What Are We Gonna Do' is another good stepper. 'I Want You All Tonight' is possibly the track to give away the date as it's right in that new jack swing early 90s mould. 'All I Ever Wanted Was You' is a nice soulful jazz/swing number.

On first listen there's not a bad track on the album. With fourteen tracks, I'm sure when I get time to listen to them all properly there will be others I warm to.

If anyone has more information on the artist or this recording then please leave a comment as I can find no details about her.

Details

Rating:	8.2
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Year:	15/04/2021
Value:	£7.99

Ane' [2021] - Where I'm Coming From [Self Released]

This keeps cropping up on the new releases from a singer called Ane'. I've listened to it a few times and have been hesitant to post it as it's 'almost but not quite' as some of the vocals sound off-key to my well-tuned ear 😉 but I'll let you draw your own conclusions.  It's basically an album full of covers of mainly 60s/70s songs.

Tracklist:

Somewhere In My Lifetime - Phyllis Hyman (1978)

The Makings Of You - Gladys Knight & The Pips (1974)

The Way - Jill Scott (2000)

Hypnotized - Linda Jones (1967)

Hello Stranger - Barbara Lewis (1963)

Street Life - Crusaders Feat. Randy Crawford (1979)

Together - The Intruders (1967)

Going Out of My Head - Little Anthony & The Imperials (1964)

This Is A Man's World - James Brown (1966)

The Ghetto - Donny Hathaway (1969)

You Send Me (Live) - Sam Cooke (1957) 

I can find no information about the artist or discover anything else she has released.

Details

Rating:	6.5
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul / Cover Version
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Year:	01/04/2021
Value:	£7.99