Deborah “Zuke” Smith, founder of zuketunes LLC (www.zuketunes.com), is a vocal coach and artist mentor based in the NYC metro area. She has worked with many types of artists including Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), several finalists on The Voice, X-Factor, American Idol, and America’s Got Talent, and Sky Flaherty who is now on the Broadway tour of Newsies. Her young student, Grace Nevin, was recently featured on Good Morning America showcasing her original song and fundraiser for The Special Olympics.
Zuke became the Executive Producer for “Garden of Music” after arranging a meeting with CNN Hero, Gary Oppenheimer, founder of AmpleHarvest.org, to pitch the idea of producing a CD where all sales would benefit his organization. Her efforts resulted in receiving the award for 2013 Album of the Year (Under 21) from the Jersey Acoustic Music Awards.
Zuke has been fortunate to have amazing music mentors in her life. She gives back to her students by sharing everything she has learned and coaching them to be not only great performers but to make a difference with their talent. Her studios are located in northern NJ and NYC.