She is a singer, actress and teacher born in Buffalo,
New York.She began singing
gospel at he local church and after taking inspiration from Aretha Franklin
she ventured out into her musical career by became a co-founder of The
Templaires.She went on to
join The Corinthian Gospel Singers and after seeing Ike & Tina Turner
in 1961 she auditioned and became one of the Ikettes.She left them in 1966 after Ike
decided to move to Los Angeles, and with Robbie Montgomery and Jessie Smith
who were other members of The Ikettes that left with her, they formed The
Mirettes which would remain active until 1970.Her name weas quickly becoming
known as a backing singer and suddenly she was being called upon to
record and/or tour with artists that include Diana
Ross, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Bob
Dylan, Humble Pie, The Supremes, The Rolling Stones, Bob
Seger, Quincy Jones, Joe Cocker, Burt Bacharach, Bette Midler,
Aretha Franklin, Jimmy
Buffett and Neil
Diamond
among many others.In 1971 she had formed another
band, The Blackberries, who were just as active and they toured with the band
Humble Pie.Moving on again
she became a member of The Oreos who appeared as the backing group for
Barbra Streisand in her 1976 movie A Star is Born.The late 1970s soon came and she was still as busy as ever,
but while touring in Australia with Boz
Scaggs
she decided to remain there and work.This would find her still in demand by Australian artists such as
Richard Clapton, Jimmy Barnes and John Farnham and also with international
artists that were touring there such as Randy Crawford, Thelma Houston,
George Benson and Dionne Warwick.Deciding to form her own group she was the founder of Venetta's Taxi
who she recorded a self-titled album with. Other albums she has appeared on ar her own At Last
and Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones, Wish You Were
Here by Pink Floyd, Full Circle by The Doors, The Smoke You
Drink, The Player You Get by
Joe
Walsh , In My Life by Neil
Diamond
, Aja, Can't Buy a Thrill and Royal Scam by Steely Dan,
History: America's Greatest Hits by America, CSN by Crosby,
Stills & Nash, Lace & Whiskey by Alice Cooper, Long Train
Runnin' by The Doobie Brothers, A Star is Born and Stoney End
by Barbra Streisand, Stranger in Town by Bob
Seger & The Silver
Bullet Band, Anytime, Anywhere by Rita
Coolidge , Brand New Day
by Blood, Sweat & Tears, Eat It and Street Rats by Humble
Pie, My Sportin' Life by John
Kay , King of the Blues by B.B.
King, Volcano by Jimmy
Buffett , Triumph by The Jacksons, Gold
by Joe Cocker, The Best of Candi Staton, Allan Toussaint, Cass
Elliott, the original soundtrack of Grease and many others.Being recognised for her work in
music she was honoured with the Australian Gospel Singer of the Year Award in
2002 and was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame in 2005. As a teacher she coaches many
students in voice and as a stage actress she has been seen in Buddy The
Musical, The Racing Demon, The Crucible, Blues in the Night, Chess and
her own Gospel Jubilee.
