Early years

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 (Mitchelle), a Native American cook of the Cherokee tribe. Her mother also had several children before Reese's 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 people's 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 Jackson's gospel group. Delloreese entered Detroit's popular Cass Technical High School (where she attended the same year as Edna Rae Gillooly, later known as Ellen Burstyn). She also continued with her touring with Jackson. With higher grades, she was the first in her family to graduate from high school in 1947, at only 15.

Afterwards, she formed her own gospel group, the Meditation Singers. However, due in part to the death of her mother, and her father's serious illness, Reese had to interrupt her schooling at Wayne State University to help support her family. Faithful to the memory of her mother, Deloreese also moved out of her father's house when she disapproved of him taking up with a new girlfriend. She then took on odd jobs, such as truck driver, dental receptionist, and even elevator operator, after 1949. Performing in clubs, Early soon decided to shorten her name from "Delloreese Early" to "Della Reese."

Musical career

Reese was discovered by the gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, and her big break came when she won a contest, which gave her a week to sing at Detroit's well-known Flame Show Bar. Reese remained there for eight weeks. Although her roots were in gospel music, she now was being exposed to and influenced by such famous jazz artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday. In 1953, she signed a recording contract with Jubilee Records, for which she recorded six albums. Later that year, she also joined the Hawkins Orchestra. Her first recordings for Jubilee were songs such as "In the Still of the Night" (originally published in 1937), "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" and "Time After Time" (1947). The songs were later included on the album And That Reminds Me (1959).

In 1957, Reese released a single called "And That Reminds Me." After years of performing, she gained chart success with this song. It became a Top Twenty Pop hit and a million-seller record. That year, Reese was voted by Billboard, Cashbox and various other magazines, as "The Most Promising Singer." In 1959, Reese moved to RCA Records and released her first RCA single, called "Don't You Know?," which was adapted from Puccini's music for La Bohème, specifically, the aria Musetta's Waltz. It became her biggest hit to date, reaching the #2 spot on the Pop charts and topping the R&B charts (then called the "Hot R&B Sides") that year. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. Eventually, the song came to be widely considered the signature song of her early career. Reese received a Grammy nomination for her 1960 album, Della and then released a successful follow-up single called "Not One Minute More" (#16). She remained on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with the songs "And Now" (#69), "Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)" (#56) and "The Most Beautiful Words" (#67).

In November 1960, Reese appeared in advertisements in Ebony magazine for the newly launched AMI Continental jukebox. Reese recorded regularly throughout the 1960s, releasing singles and several albums. Two of the most significant were The Classic Della (1962) and Waltz with Me, Della (1963), which broadened her fan base internationally. She recorded several jazz-focused albums, including Della Reese Live (1966), On Strings of Blue (1967) and One of a Kind (1978). She also performed in Las Vegas (Nevada) for nine years and toured across the country. Reese continued to record albums in the following decades, receiving two more Grammy nominations in the gospel category for the album Della Reese and Brilliance (1991) and for the live recorded album, My Soul Feels Better Right Now (1999). Motown singer Martha Reeves cites Reese as a major influence and says she named her group The Vandellas after Van Dyke Street in Detroit and Della Reese.

Television and film career

In 1969, she began a transition into acting work which would eventually lead to her greatest fame. Her first attempt at television stardom was a talk show series, Della, which was cancelled after 197 episodes (June 9, 1969 - March 13, 1970).

In 1970, Reese became the first black woman to guest host The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. She appeared in several TV movies and miniseries, was a regular on Chico and the Man and played the mother of B. A. Baracus in The A-Team episode "Lease with an Option to Die." In 1991, she starred opposite old friend, Redd Foxx, in his final sitcom, The Royal Family, but his death halted production of the series for several months. Reese also did voice-over for the late-1980s animated series A Pup Named Scooby-Doo. In 1989, she starred alongside Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor and Arsenio Hall in the theatrical release movie Harlem Nights, in which she performed a fight scene with Eddie Murphy. Reese appeared as a panelist on several episodes of the popular television game show Match Game.

Television guest appearances

Reese has had a wide variety of guest-starring roles, beginning with an episode of The Mod Squad. This led to other roles in such series as: The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, Getting Together, Police Woman, Petrocelli, Joe Forrester, Police Story, The Rookies, McCloud, Sanford and Son with old friend Redd Foxx, Vega$, Insight and two episodes of The Love Boat. She also had a recurring role on It Takes Two opposite Richard Crenna and Patty Duke, three episodes of Crazy Like a Fox, four episodes of Charlie & Co. opposite Flip Wilson, 227 with best friend Marla Gibbs, MacGyver, Night Court, Dream On, Designing Women, Picket Fences, That's So Raven and The Young and the Restless.

Touched by an Angel

After coping with the death of one of her best friends, Redd Foxx, in 1991, she was reluctant to play an older female lead in the inspirational television drama Touched by an Angel, but went ahead and auditioned for the role of "Tess." She wanted to have a one-shot agreement between CBS and producer Martha Williamson, but ordered more episodes. Reese was widely seen as a key component of the show's success. Already starring on Touched by an Angel was the lesser-known Irish actress Roma Downey, who played the role of case worker Tess's angel/employee, Monica. In numerous interviews, there was an on- and off-screen chemistry between both Reese and Downey.

The character of Tess was the angelic supervisor who sent the other angels out on missions to help people redeem their lives and show them God's love, while at the same time, she was sassy and had a no-nonsense attitude. The show often featured a climactic monologue delivered by the angel Monica in which she reveals herself as an angel to a human with the words: "I am an angel sent by God to tell you that He loves you." The character of Tess was portrayed by Reese as down-to-earth, experienced and direct. Reese also sang the show's theme song, "Walk With You," and was featured prominently on the soundtrack album produced in conjunction with the show.

During its first season in 1994, many critics were skeptical about the show, it being the second overtly religious prime-time fantasy series, after Highway to Heaven. The show had a rocky start, low ratings and was cancelled 11 episodes into the first season. However, with the help of a massive letter-writing campaign, the show was resuscitated the following season and became a huge ratings winner for the next seven seasons. At the beginning of the fourth season in 1997, Reese threatened to leave the show because she was making less than her co-stars; CBS ended up raising her salary. Touched by an Angel was cancelled in 2003, but it continued re-running heavily in syndication and on The Hallmark Channel. Roma Downey said of her on- and off-screen relationship with Reese:

"She's very wise. She's very loving. She can be a little gruff at times, but she's always adoring and adorable. I lost my mother when I was very young, and during my whole adolescence and into my twenties, I'd been looking for a mother figure, and I really think I can say with absolute truth and sincerity that I feel that I finally found her in Della Reese."

Downey later also said:

"I think I'll just always remember the feel of her neck against my cheek when she hugs me and the love I know that she has for me and the love that I feel for her and the love that she has for God. To know Della is to know that she loves God."

Personal life

Reese's mother, Nellie Mitchelle Early, died in 1949 of a cerebral hemorrhage. Reese's father, Richard Early, died ten years later. Reese had an adoptive daughter which she acquired from a family member unable to care for her, named Deloreese Daniels Owens, in 1961. Owens died on March 14, 2002. It was never released whether she died from suicide or from implications stemming from pituitary disease. Reese said about the painful experience, sharing her frustration with the lack of awareness and knowledge of pituitary disorders,

"When it happened, I thought, 'It's such an odd thing to die from,' because pituitary problems aren't something you hear about. It makes it harder because you don't understand what happened. It seemed so strange and hard to explain. It still is, to be honest."

In 1979, after taping a guest spot for The Tonight Show, she suffered a near-fatal brain aneurysm, but made a full recovery after two operations by neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Drake at University Hospital in London, Ontario. In 1983, she married Franklin Thomas Lett, Jr., a concert producer and writer. In 2002, Reese announced on Larry King Live that she had been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, but didn't come as a surprise considering what she ate and what her diet consisted of, as well as her weight. She became a spokeswoman for the American Diabetes Association, traveling around the United States to raise awareness about this disorder. In 2005, Reese was honored by Oprah Winfrey at her Legends Ball ceremony, along with 25 other black women.

Reese was basically self-ordained as a minister in 2010, after serving as the senior minister and founder of her own church, the Understanding Principles for Better Living Church, an independent congregation, which for many years was known as, The Traveling Church, due to never being able to secure a church site; renting banquet halls, conference rooms and the like, etc. to hold their services. In 2014, the IRS Criminal Division began investigating the disappearance of nearly $2 million from vanishing church banking investments, as well as very questionable/misappropriation of church funds and not paying church employees their earned wages. Many successful lawsuits began being filed against her as well as her church as a result. They currently meet at First Lutheran Church (www.firsting.org) in Inglewood, California. In her ministerial work, she is known as the Rev. Dr. Della Reese Lett.

On July 6, 2011, Reese celebrated her 80th Birthday at the Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles, California. In 2015, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to her.

Discography

Main article: Della Reese discography

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1975	Psychic Killer	Mrs. Gibson
1989	Harlem Nights	Vera
1996	Thin Line Between Love and Hate, AA Thin Line Between Love and Hate	Ma Wright
2000	Dinosaur	Eema (voice)
2005	Beauty Shop	Mrs. Towner
2007	If I Had Known I Was a Genius	Nana
2010	Expecting Mary	Doris Dorkus
2012	Meant to Be	Mave
2012	Me Again	Muriel
2012	Christmas Angel	Elsa Way

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1968	Mod Squad, TheThe Mod Squad	Paula	Episode: "Find Tara Chapman!"
1970	Bold Ones: The New Doctors, TheThe Bold Ones: The New Doctors	Grace Dayton	Episode: "Killer on the Loose"
1973	Voyage of the Yes	Opal Parker	TV film
1973	Daddy's Girl	Diane	TV film
1974	Twice in a Lifetime	Flo	TV film
1974	Police Woman	Tina Thompson	Episode: "Requiem for Bored Wives"
1974	McCloud	Police Sg.t Gladys Harris	Episode: "This Must Be the Alamo"
1975	Petrocelli	Angela Damon	Episode: "Once Upon a Victim"
1975	Cop on the Beat	Claudine	TV film
1975	Rookies, TheThe Rookies	Landers	Episode: "Ladies Day"
1975	Sanford and Son	Herself	Episode: "Della, Della, Della"
1975-1978	Chico and the Man	Della Rogers	Recurring role (27 episodes)
1976	McCloud	Police Sgt. Gladys Harris	Episode: "The Day New York Turned Blue"
1976	Medical Center	Capt. Sykes	Episode: "Major Annie, MD"
1976	Flo's Place	Flo	TV film
1976	Nightmare in Badham County	Sarah	TV film
1979	Welcome Back, Kotter	Mrs. Tremaine	Episodes: "Come Back, Little Arnold", "The Gang Show"
1980	Insight	Judge Roberta Lynn	Episode: "God in the Dock"
1982	Love Boat, TheThe Love Boat	Millie Washington	2 episodes
1982-1983	It Takes Two	Judge Caroline Phillips	Recurring role (5 episodes)
1985	A-Team, TheThe A-Team	Mrs. Baracus	Episode: "Lease with an Option to Die"
1985-1986	Crazy Like a Fox	Nurse Flood	Episodes: "Fox Hunt", "Is There a Fox in the House?", "A Fox at the Races"
1986	Charlie & Co.	Aunt Rachel	Recurring role (4 episodes)
1986	ABC Afterschool Special	Aunt Faith	Episode: "The Gift of Amazing Grace"
1987	227	Rita	Episode: "Far from the Tree"
1989	Night Court	Aunt Ruth	Episode: "Auntie Maim"
1990	227	Grace	Episode: "Where Do We Go from Here?"
1990	Young Riders, TheThe Young Riders	Stagecoach Sally	Episode: "Born to Hang"
1990	Kid Who Loved Christmas, TheThe Kid Who Loved Christmas	Alicia Slater	TV film
1990	MacGyver	Mama Colton	Episode: "Squeeze Play"
1991	MacGyver	Mama Colton	Episode: "The Coltons"
1991	Married People	Annette	Episode: "Dance Ten, Friends Zero"
1991-1992	Royal Family, TheThe Royal Family	Victoria Royal	Main role (15 episodes)
1992	Dream On	Receptionist	Episode: "No Deposit, No Return"
1992	You Must Remember This	Ella DuChamps (voice)	TV film
1993	Designing Women	Mrs. Toussant	Episode: "Wedding Redux"
1993	L.A. Law	Lucille Lake	Episode: "Vindaloo in the Villows"
1993	Picket Fences	Naomi Grand	Episode: "The Lullaby League"
1994-2003	Touched by an Angel	Tess	Main role (211 episodes)
1996-1998	Promised Land	Tess	Recurring role (6 episodes)
1997	Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child	The Blues Fairy (voice)	Episode: "Pinocchio"
1997	Match Made in Heaven, AA Match Made in Heaven	Katie Beale	TV film
1997	Miracle in the Woods	Lilly Cooper	TV film
1998	Emma's Wish	Mona Washburn	TV film
1998	Mama Flora's Family	Nana Fleming	TV film
1999	Secret Path, TheThe Secret Path	Honey	TV film
1999	Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters First 100 Years	Martha Logan	TV film
1999	Anya's Bell	Anya Herpick	TV film
2000	Moving of Sophia Myles, TheThe Moving of Sophia Myles	Sophia Myles	TV film
2006	That's So Raven	Miss Rhonnie Wilcox	Episode: "The Four Aces"
2009	Young and the Restless, TheThe Young and the Restless	Aunt Virginia	TV series
2010	Detroit 1-8-7	Lorraine Henderson	Episode: "Shelter"
2011	Hallelujah	Dulcie Prejean	TV film
2012	Christmas Angel	Elsie Waybright	TV film
2013	Dear Secret Santa	Linda	TV film
2013	Miracle at Gate 213	Alma Peddington	TV film
2014	Signed, Sealed, Delivered	Cora Brandt	Episodes: "Soulmates", "The Masterpiece"

Awards and nominations

Awards

• 1994: Hollywood Walk of Fame: 7060 Hollywood Boulevard - Television
• 1996: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Touched by an Angel
• 1997: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Touched by an Angel
• 1998: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Touched by an Angel
• 1999: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Touched by an Angel
• 2000: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Touched by an Angel
• 2001: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Touched by an Angel
• 2002: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Touched by an Angel

Nominations

• 1960: Grammy Award - Don't You Know
• 1961: Grammy Award - Della (Album)
• 1991: Grammy Award - Della Reese and Brilliance
• 1997: Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series - Touched by an Angel
• 1997: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series - Touched by an Angel
• 1998: Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series - Touched by an Angel
• 1998: Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Made for TV Series - Touched by an Angel
• 1998: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series - Touched by an Angel
• 1999: Grammy Award - My Soul Feels Better Right Now
• 2000: Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting By a Female Performer in an Animated Feature - Dinosaur

Charities

Della Reese supports the following charitable cause: Diabetes.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]