della reese

Biography

Della Reese (born Delloreese Patricia Early on July 6, 1931) was an American singer, actress, television personality, author, and ordained minister whose career spanned seven decades. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Reese began singing in her church choir at age six and was discovered by gospel legend Mahalia Jackson at age 13, who invited her to tour with her gospel group throughout the United States for three summers during her adolescent years. After high school graduation at age 15, Reese briefly attended Wayne State University but left college following her mother's death. She then joined the Meditation Singers, a Detroit-based gospel group, while supporting herself through various jobs including work as a taxi driver, truck driver, and receptionist. Frustrated by the lack of financial reward in gospel music, she transitioned to secular music in the early 1950s, eventually winning a local talent competition that led to an 18-week engagement at The Flame nightclub in New York City.

Reese's professional music career accelerated in 1953 when she joined the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra, followed by a recording contract with Jubilee Records in 1954. Her breakthrough came with the 1957 single "And That Reminds Me," which sold over a million copies and earned her recognition as "The Most Promising Girl Singer" by Billboard, Cashbox, and Variety magazines. Her greatest commercial success arrived in 1959 with "Don't You Know?" on RCA Victor, which reached number two on the US Hot 100 and was adapted from Giacomo Puccini's opera La Bohème. This success led to nine years of performing in Las Vegas and three decades of recording for various labels including ABC-Paramount and AVCO-Embassy. Beyond her singing career, Reese became a pioneering television personality, becoming the first Black woman to host her own talk show, and achieved widespread recognition as an actress on the highly-rated CBS series Touched by an Angel. She was nominated for a Grammy Award as Best Female Soloist in gospel music in 1987 and was ordained as a minister. Reese passed away on November 19, 2017, at age 86.

Fun Facts

• Reese graduated from Detroit's Cass Technical High School at age 15, the same year as actress Edna Rae Gillooly, who later became known as Ellen Burstyn.
• To make her professional name more "marquee friendly," Reese split her ten-letter first name "Delloreese" down the middle to create "Della Reese."
• Before becoming a recording artist, Reese supported herself through various odd jobs including work as a truck driver, taxi driver, receptionist, and lounge hostess at a bowling alley in Detroit.
• Her signature hit "Don't You Know?" was adapted from Giacomo Puccini's famous opera La Bohème, demonstrating her ability to bridge classical and popular music.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Mahalia Jackson - Gospel entertainer who discovered Reese and took her on tour, profoundly influencing her early musical development (Mahalia Jackson's gospel tours and performances) [1945-1949 (summers during adolescence)]

Key Collaborators

• Erskine Hawkins Orchestra - Reese served as a vocalist with the orchestra, developing her vocal talents and style across blues, jump tunes, and Latin music (Orchestra performances and recordings) [1953 (nine months)]
• The Meditation Singers - Gospel group that Reese formed and performed with in Detroit (Gospel group performances) [1949 onwards]
• Clara Ward Singers - Gospel group with which Reese performed (Gospel performances) [Late 1940s-early 1950s]
• Roberta Martin Singers - Gospel group with which Reese performed (Gospel performances) [Late 1940s-early 1950s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #2008-universal-fire-victim, #jazz