Della Reese

Della Reese , is an American nightclub, jazz, gospel and pop singer, film and television actress, onetime talkshow hostess and ordained minister, whose career had spanned six decades. She had also appeared as a guest on several talk shows and as a panelist on numerous game shows.

Della Reese was born Delloreese Patricia Early on July 6, 1931, in the historic Black Bottom neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan, to Richard Thaddeus Early, an African American steelworker and Nellie , a Native American cook of the Cherokee tribe. Her mother also had several children before Reeses birth, none of whom lived with her hence, Reese grew up as an only child. At six years old, Reese began singing in church. From this experience, she became an avid gospel singer. On weekends in the 1940s, she and her mother would go to the movies independently to watch the likes of Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Lena Horne portray glamorous lives on screen. Afterwards, Reese would act out the scenes from the films. In 1944, she began her career directing the young peoples choir, after she had nurtured acting plus her obvious musical talent. She was often chosen, on radio, as a regular singer. At the age of 13, she was hired to sing with Mahalia Jacksons gospel group. Delloreese entered Detroit

Source: Wikipedia