AllMovie

Factsheet

• Began singing in public at the age of 13 when she joined her church's choir.
• Was a cheerleader in high school.
• Made her film debut in The Color Purple (1985), in which she performed a solo rendition of "God Is Tryin' to Tell You Something."
• Entered college intending to become a doctor, majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry. Shortly after graduation, however, she decided to pursue a career in show business.
• Lived in Okinawa, Japan, from 1995 to 2001 with her then-husband, who was in the Marines. During their stay, she carved out a successful singing career in the area and appeared in two Japanese TV commercials.
• Performed at Atlanta's Sambuca Jazz Café every week from 2002 until it closed in December 2010.
• Volunteers with BookPALS, which promotes literacy to young children through storytelling activities.