‘Touched By an Angel’s’ Della Reese Passes at 86

We are hearing the news this week that Della Reese, an R&B singing sensation and groundbreaking star of ‘Touched By an Angel’ has died at the age of 86.

Della Reese was both a successful singer and actor. While living in Detroit, she started singing at the age of 13, joining Mahalia Jackson’s gospel group. Before Della hit 20, she formed her own R&B group called the Meditation Singers. Della had a one in a million voice, earning a Grammy nomination in 1960, the first of four Grammy nominations she would receive in her decades of singing. Della was Oprah before Oprah, hosting her own TV talk show aimed at her contemporaries in 1969 called ‘Della.’

Death came a calling in 1979 when she survived a brain aneurysm, but prayer and the holy spirit put her back on the mend. Della’s signature role came in her portrayal of Tess, an angel sent down to earth by God, helping and healing for nearly 10 seasons.

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