Biography

Della Reese is a singer and actress known for her gospel talents and for her role on the television show Touched by an Angel.
IN THESE GROUPS

Born in Michigan in 1931, Della Reese began making records and performing on television variety shows in the 1950s. From 1969 to 1970, she hosted a TV talk show called Della. Reese guest-starred on many other shows into the 1980s, including Sanford and Son and Picket Fences. In 1987, she was nominated for a Gospel Music Grammy Award (best female soloist), and in the 1990s, she landed a starring role on TV's Touched by An Angel.

Singer and actress Deloreese Patricia Early, better known as Della Reese, was born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 6, 1931. Reese began on the path that would lead her to show business by singing in her family's church at the age of 6. Her talents landed her to tour with gospel great Mahalia Jackson when Reese was only a teenager.

By the age of 18, Reese had formed the Meditation Singers, known for being the first group to take gospel music to the night clubs of Las Vegas, Nevada. Reese began making records with the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra in the 1950s, producing such hits as "Don't You Know" and "That Reminds Me." She also began performing on television variety shows and was a regular guest on The Ed Sullivan Show.