Cassandra O'Neal (born Cassandra Louise O'Neal on January 17, 1973) is an American musician, composer, and recording artist. Best known as keyboard player (2009–2016) with Prince and

The New Power Generation The New Power Generation, also known as the NPG, was the backing band of musician Prince from 1990 to 2013. They were replaced by 3rdeyegirl as his backing band in 2013. In 2015, the New Power Generation reunited as Prince's backing band for ...

, she has an impressive resume of work with major industry (gospel, pop and funk) artists for over twenty-five (25) years.

Early life

O'Neal is the youngest child born to the late ''Rev. Ernest A. O'Neal'' and ''Janet Pricilla O'Neal'' in

Copiague, New York Copiague ( ) is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet on Long Island (and census-designated place) in the Town of Babylon, New York, Town of Babylon, in Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was ...

. O'Neal showed her musical potential at a young age, playing the piano by ear and with perfect pitch, beginning at the age of 3. Throughout her adolescent years, she nurtured her gift with formal classical piano training, playing in the church and by listening to all types of music, including new wave, rock,

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

and pop. During her junior and senior high school years she accompanied school choruses and ensembles.

Music career

In 1991, Cassandra moved to Los Angeles, California. Shortly after, she received her break into the music industry while touring

singer,

Daryl Coley Daryl Lynn Coley (October 30, 1955 – March 15, 2016) was an American Christian singer. At 14, Coley was a member of the ensemble "Helen Stephens and the Voices of Christ". He began performing with Edwin Hawkins in the Edwin Hawkins Singers and ...

. O'Neal then became a staff musician at the

West Angeles Church of God in Christ West Angeles Church of God in Christ is a Pentecostal megachurch located in the West Adams district of Los Angeles, and a member of the Church of God in Christ. History It was founded by Elder Clarence E. Church in 1943. The first sanctuary was ...

under the leadership of Bishop Charles E. Blake. She later released a gospel instructional DVD entitled "Wheatworks Productions Presents…West Coast Piano: The Ultimate Gospel Piano Master Class Featuring Cassandra O'Neal". O'Neal worked on the soundtrack of the 1997 Comedy Film,

The 6th Man ''The 6th Man'', sometimes titled ''The Sixth Man'', is a 1997 American sports comedy film directed by Randall Miller. The film stars Marlon Wayans and Kadeem Hardison. The film features real National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) school ...

, adding keyboards and vocals to the song, "Deeper Than Blood" performed by Sovory, which charted at No. 33 on the ''Billboard'' Top R&B/HipHop Albums chart. O'Neal has since gone on to work with many of R&B, Pop and Gospel music's biggest acts, including

Pink Pink is a pale tint of red, the color of the Dianthus plumarius, pink flower. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, p ...

and her

Party Tour The Party Tour was the debut concert tour by American recording artist, Pink. The tour supported her second studio album '' Missundaztood'' (2001). Background While promoting her second studio album, '' Missundaztood'', Pink stated she was pr ...

in 2002. She has worked with

98 Degrees 98 Degrees (stylized as 98°) is an American vocal group consisting of brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Jeff Timmons, and Justin Jeffre. Their first Christmas album '' This Christmas'' has sold over two million copies and is widely recognized ...

, Kurt Carr & the Kurt Carr Singers, Helen Baylor,

Avant Avant can refer to: People * Avant, part of music production team Bloodshy & Avant * Avant (singer), Myron Avant, an American singer * Clarence Avant, a music executive * Jason Avant, is a US American football player Places * Avant, Oklahoma, ...

, and

Chanté Moore Chanté Torrane Moore (born February 17, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, television personality, and author. The first signee with record executive Louis Silas, Jr.'s Silas Records, she rose to prominence with her debu ...

. In 2005, she toured with

Yolanda Adams Yolanda Yvette Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million albu ...

Martha Munizzi Martha Denise Munizzi (born February 26, 1968) is an American Christian music singer, songwriter, author, and pastor. Early years A native of central Florida, Martha Munizzi was born into a Christian musical family. The daughter of evangelists ...

, and Sheila E. on ''Sisters in the Spirit Tour''. She was also named Musical Director for

Macy Gray Natalie Renée McIntyre (born September 6, 1967), known professionally as Macy Gray, is an American contemporary R&B, R&B and soul music, soul singer and actress. She is known for her distinctive raspy voice and a singing style heavily influence ...

in 2004 until 2007. In 2006, O'Neal joined

Sy Smith Sy Smith is an American singer. Early life and career beginnings Smith grew up in Washington, D.C. She began her career leading a six-person Washington D.C. go-go band called "In Tyme". After graduating from Howard University with a bachelor ...

as her keyboardist/supporting vocalist in Smith's band "Deeznuts". O'Neal also played keyboards on the Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture Deluxe Edition Soundtrack. In 2008, she joined

Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...

and

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...

on the

Heart of the City Tour The Heart of the City Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by People of the United States, American singer Mary J. Blige and American rapper Jay-Z. The North America tour supports Blige's eighth studio album, ''Growing Pains (Mary J. Blige album ...

. Adding to her credit, O'Neal has played keyboards on various recordings including

LeAnn Rimes Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (born August 28, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She originally rose to success as a country music artist at the age of 13 and has since crossed over into pop, contemporary Christian, and o ...

' ''

What a Wonderful World "What a Wonderful World" is a song written by Bob Thiele (as "George Douglas") and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong on August 16, 1967. In April 1968, it topped the pop chart in the United Kingdom, but performed p ...

'', '' So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross'', '' BabyFace's'' '' Grown & Sexy'', and ''

Mindi Abair Mindi Abair ( ; born May 23, 1969) is an American saxophonist, vocalist, author.. Her solo career has produced ten No. 1 radio singles, two No. 1 Billboard Jazz CDs, and four more solo CDs that have landed No. 5 and above on the ''Billboard'' Co ...

's'' '' In Hi-Fi Stereo''. ''She was also a member of all female band COED (Chronicles Of Every Diva) which featured Sheila E. O'Neal has also performed on various television shows such as

The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the fourth and sixth installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Jay Leno, it aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009, replacing ''The Ton ...

, the

2002 MTV Video Music Awards The 2002 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on August 29, 2002, honoring the best music videos from June 9, 2001, to May 31, 2002. The show was hosted by Jimmy Fallon at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. During the show, Michael Jackson a ...

, and the

36th NAACP Image Awards __NOTOC__ The 36th NAACP Image Awards ceremony, presented by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), honored outstanding representations and achievements of people of color in motion pictures, television, music ...

. O'Neal was also co-writer of several songs on

's comeback album,

BIG Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * Big (film), ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * ''Big'', a 2023 Taiwanese children's film starring Van Fan and Chie Tanaka * ''Big!'', a ...

.'' O'Neal joined

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

in his highly acclaimed band,

, alongside longtime members Morris Hayes on keyboards and John Blackwell on drums. O'Neal's first performances as a member of the NPG were at the

Grand Palais The (; ), commonly known as the , is a historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris between the Champs-Élysées and the Seine, France. Construction of the began in 1897 following the demolitio ...

and

La Cigale La Cigale (; English: ''The Cicada'') is a theatre located at 120, boulevard de Rochechouart near Place Pigalle, in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. The theatre is part of a complex connected to the Boule Noire. The hall can accommodate 1,3 ...

concerts in France back in October 2009. She has since appeared on Prince's

20Ten ''20Ten'' is the thirty-fifth studio album by American recording artist Prince. It was released on July 10, 2010, by NPG Records as a free covermount with the ''Daily Mirror'' and '' Daily Record'' in the UK and Ireland, and ''Het Nieuwsblad'' a ...

Tour, Welcome 2 America with a line-up of special guests such as

Larry Graham Larry Graham Jr. (born August 14, 1946) is an American bass guitar, bassist and baritone singer, with the psychedelic soul/funk band Sly and the Family Stone and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station. In 1980, he released the si ...

Maceo Parker Maceo Parker (; born February 14, 1943) is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s and Prince in the 2000s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of ...

Chaka Kahn Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan ( ), is an American singer. Known as the " Queen of Funk", her career has spanned more than five decades beginning in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of ...

Raphael Saadiq Raphael Saadiq (; born Charles Ray Wiggins; May 14, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He rose to prominence as a vocalist and bassist for the R&B band Tony! Toni! Toné!, which he formed with h ...

Janelle Monáe Janelle Monáe Robinson ( ; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper and actress. She has received ten Grammy Award nominations, and is the recipient of a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Children's and Family Emmy Award. ...

Nikka Costa Domenica "Nikka" Costa (born June 4, 1972) is an American singer whose music combines elements of pop, soul, and blues. She also had a career as a child singer starting in the early 1980s. She is the daughter of music producer Don Costa. Ear ...

, and

Paloma Faith Paloma Faith Blomfield (born 21 July 1981) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. After signing with Epic Records in 2008, Faith released her debut album, '' Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?'' (2009), which produced the UK ...

. Tour, the 2011

Montreal Jazz Festival The Festival international de Jazz de Montréal is an annual jazz festival held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Jazz Fest holds the 2004 Guinness World Record as the world's largest jazz festival. Every year it features roughly 3,000 ar ...

Special Performance, and the Welcome 2 America Euro 2011 Tour that introduced the first ''NPG Music & Arts Festival'',. O'Neal continued performing with Prince until 2014. Her latest performance with The New Power Generation was during the 2016 Official Prince Tribute Concert, Minneapolis MN, where she sang "The Ladder" (a duet) with Andre Cymone. Cassandra endorses

Yamaha Motif The Yamaha Motif (stylized in all-uppercase MOTIF) is a series of music workstation synthesizers, first released by Yamaha Corporation in August 2001. The Motif replaced the EX series in Yamaha's line-up and was also based on the early Yamaha S s ...

keyboards,

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...

s and ''Quik Lok'' Stands.

Releases

* West Coast Piano Instructional DVD

References

External links

Cassandra O'Neal Official Twitter Page

Cassandra O'Neal Official Facebook Fan Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneal, Cassandra Living people 1973 births American soul singers African-American Christians African-American women singer-songwriters American women singer-songwriters Record producers from New York (state) People from Copiague, New York 21st-century African-American women singers 21st-century American women singers