SHIRLEY'S BIO
Singer Shirley Ritenour decided to give herself a birthday present: the reawakening of a dream that had been folded away for more than a decade.
A lifelong singer equally interested in and adept at classical and pop music, Shirley’s taste influenced by her mother, who filled their Air Force family homes with the sounds of Judy Garland, Doris Day, Andy Williams---but also the operas of Puccini! Shirley formed a trio with her sisters that played the local talent circuits as “Two Dots and a Dash”.
After graduation with honors from Catholic University in Washington, DC, Shirley (winner of the American Opera Scholarship) pursued graduate 
work as an operatic soprano at Boston Conservatory. After spending a summer at AIMS in Graz, Austria (launching pad for many important American operatic careers), Shirley was offered a position at a German opera house. Her partner at the time, however, “couldn't imagine living in Europe”, so Shirley abandoned the offer and the dream, and went into the business world.
For her birthday, away from the stage for more than a decade, Shirley hooked up with an old friend from Catholic University, who just happened to be one of New York City’s top cabaret musical directors. Together they created the first of several cabaret acts, which reignited Shirley’s love for singing and performing.
A colleague heard her singing in her “legit” voice, and encouraged Shirley
to revisit the idea of a serious music career. It seems he said "while other singers were wearing themselves out, your instrument remained in healthy and pristine shape," as was her dream of making music. Several classical music experts agreed that Shirley could “make a go of it”.
In 2008, she produced It’s A Grand Night for Giving at Don’t Tell Mama. It was then that Shirley began a tradition of donating proceeds to Gilda’s Club NYC, a support organization for people with cancer and their loved ones named for the late comedian, Gilda Radner. Shirley learned of Gilda’s Club through Concerned Women of the Grove (in Cherry Grove, New York), which has done much to raise awareness for Gilda’s Club programs.
By then, Shirley had become Vice President of a major New York real estate firm. That summer, she began recording her debut CD. However, as fallout of the economic disaster spread, she was laid off in January 2009. Having learned early to accept change with enthusiasm, Shirley completed her recording and named it Both Sides Now, a reference not only to the Joni Mitchell song that appears on her album, but to her own love of both classical and pop music. She seized the blessings of unexpected free time and the unqualified support of her partner to pursue musical opportunities.
Shirley recently appeared in New York as Elsa in a concert version of “Lohengrin,” and performed the roles of Tosca and Turandot (two of herMom’s favorites by Puccini) in the Spring of 2010.
Shirley often sings the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden for WNBA NY Liberty.
Shirley finds inspiration in the career of American dramatic soprano Eileen Farrell, unique in her ability to move from classical to popular vocal music with complete ease, and total acceptance by the fans and stars of both fields.