she glows

By Mary Jane Bogle | Photo by Rachael Smith

“I was singing in the womb.” So says Rainee Perdue, local recording and performing artist with Audiences Unlimited, Inc. Whether she was serenading her family with “Sunshine on My Shoulder” as a toddler or belting out a Motown classic for her classmates on the playground, music has long been Rainee’s passion.

And while her love of music developed in the womb, her optic nerve didn’t. Blind at birth, Rainee has never placed much emphasis on her blindness. “My parents never coddled me,” she said. “As much as they knew how, they treated me like anyone else.” And so Rainee learned how to be independent in a sighted world.

“For years, I would get a little annoyed when people would say, ‘You’re so amazing,’” she said, referring to her ability to navigate in the sighted community so well. “Can’t I be amazing for some other reason?”

The answer to that question is a resounding, “yes!” Rainee’s musical repertoire is vast and includes her own compositions, as well as favorites from any number of genres—everything from R&B, funk and disco, even country. “I like to say that my style is eclectic with a lot of soul,” she said.

Rainee has performed in a wide range of venues, too, everything from churches and coffeehouses to schools and bars—even cat shelters! No matter where Rainee performs, her goal is to use her talents to bless others. That’s why she’s so thrilled to perform as a regular artist with Audiences Unlimited, Inc., a local organization celebrating 50 years of creating cultural experiences that enrich the lives of people with limited access to the arts.

“When my husband and I moved to Fort Wayne in 2014, I was at a place where I felt I wasn’t doing anything for anybody but myself. When I found Audiences Unlimited, Inc. online,” she said, “I knew it would be a great fit and said, ‘sign me up!’”

As a performing artist through Audiences Unlimited, she gives regular concerts for people in senior living communities, which is more of a ministry than a gig. “Music touches something deep down in the spirit that trumps the mind,” she said, describing music as the soundtrack of our lives.

“You never know what memories a song will conjure up,” she said. “It might be a time when someone danced with her husband or when the family was just having fun together.” It doesn’t have to be a specific memory, either. “Music can make people smile, cry, or stomp their feet. I wish every city had an organization like Audiences Unlimited,” she continued. “Our seniors deserve it.”

Above all, Rainee seeks to be inspirational in everything she does. “I want to use my voice to bless people around me and just show them who they are. We’re so much better and more loved than we could ever imagine!” a

Want to nominate someone for She Glows? Email Amber at ambouthot@the-papers.com.