Della Reese, singer, actress, and minister, was born Delloreese Patricia Early in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of six, Reese began singing in church and at 13 was hired to sing with Mahalia Jackson’s go...spel group. After graduating from high school, Reese formed her own gospel group called the Meditation Singers. In 1957, Reese released “And That Reminds Me” which became a Top Twenty Pop hit and sold over a million copies. That same year, she was voted by Billboard The Most Promising Singer. In 1959, she released “Don’t You Know” which reached number two on the Pop charts and number one on the R&B charts. Reese recorded regularly during the 1960s, releasing albums such as “The Classic Della” (1962), “Della Reese Live” (1966), and “On Strings of Blue” (1967). In 1970, Reese became the first black woman to guest host “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” In 1989, Reese starred in the film “Harlem Nights.” In 1994, Reese received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. From 1994 to 2002, she starred in the television series “Touched by an Angel” which ran for nine seasons and 297 episodes. For her performance on that show, Reese was nominated for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 1997 and 1998. Reese has also been nominated for four Grammy Awards. In 2010, she was ordained a minister in the Understanding Principles for Better Living Church. Reese appeared in the film “Expecting Mercy” in 2012.