Della Reese

Della Reese, born on July sixth, nineteen thirty-one, was a multifaceted American talent known for her remarkable contributions as a singer, actress, and ordained minister. Raised in Detroit, Michigan, she began her musical journey singing in her church choir, where she was discovered by the legendary gospel entertainer Mahalia Jackson. This pivotal moment led to a tour with Jackson and later joining the gospel group The Meditation Singers, before transitioning to secular music.

Reese's career took off after winning a local talent competition, which secured her a spot at The Flame nightclub in New York City. This exposure led to her first recording contract with Jubilee Records in nineteen fifty-four, where she achieved her first commercial success with the single 'And That Reminds Me,' selling a million copies. Her move to RCA Victor marked her greatest achievements, with hits like 'Don't You Know?' and 'Not One Minute More,' alongside the top forty-charting album 'Della' released in nineteen sixty.

By the early nineteen sixties, Reese was a familiar face on national television, appearing on popular shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Her success culminated in her own talk show, 'Della,' which aired nearly two hundred episodes from nineteen sixty-nine to nineteen seventy. The seventies saw her transition into acting, with roles in films like 'Psychic Killer' and the television series 'Chico and the Man.' She later returned to gospel music, forming the group Brilliance, which earned a Grammy nomination for their album released in nineteen eighty-five.

In the eighties, Reese became an ordained minister, leading sermons and inspiring many. She gained widespread acclaim for her role as Tess in the CBS series 'Touched by an Angel,' which premiered in nineteen ninety-four and became one of CBS's highest-rated shows, running until two thousand three. Throughout the nineties, she continued to record music, releasing the Grammy-nominated gospel album 'My Soul Feels Better Right Now' in nineteen ninety-eight, and published her autobiography 'Angels Along the Way' in nineteen ninety-seven, followed by four more books by two thousand twelve. Reese remained active in acting, appearing in several CBS television films and the film 'Beauty Shop' in two thousand five, until her retirement in two thousand fourteen.