Della Reese
A powerhouse voice who moved from gospel roots to pop stardom, then reinvented herself as a groundbreaking actress and spiritual guide.
1931–2017 (age 86)·American singer and actress·Birthday: July 6·The Silent Generation
Biography
Della Reese’s journey began in the Black church choirs of Detroit, where her formidable vocal talent was forged. She broke through in the 1950s, blending gospel fervor with pop and jazz sophistication, scoring a massive hit with "Don't You Know?" in 1959. Her success made her a frequent guest on television variety shows, and in 1969 she broke a significant barrier by hosting 'Della', making her the first Black woman to front her own national talk show. In the 1990s, she found a new, defining role as Tess, the wise and sharp-tongued supervising angel on the hit series 'Touched by an Angel'. Off-screen, she was an ordained minister who co-founded a church, seamlessly weaving her artistic career with her deep spiritual faith until her death in 2017.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Della was born in 1931, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Della Was Born
The biggest hits of 1931
#1 Movie
Frankenstein
Best Picture
Cimarron
Della's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1931Born
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1936Started school
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1944Became a teenager
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Could drive
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1949Could vote
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Turned 21
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1961Turned 30
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 40
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 50
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 60
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 70
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 80
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2017Died at 86
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
Key Achievements
- Her 1959 single "Don't You Know?" (adapted from Puccini's 'La Bohème') reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Became the first African American woman to host a nationally syndicated television talk show, 'Della', in 1969.
- Received multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her role as Tess on 'Touched by an Angel'.
- Was ordained as a minister in 1987 and co-founded the "Understanding Principles for Better Living" Church in Los Angeles.
Did You Know?
She was discovered by gospel legend Mahalia Jackson as a teenager.
She suffered a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1979, which led to a profound spiritual awakening.
She was a close friend and mentor to actress and talk show host Wendy Williams.
Before her music career took off, she toured with the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra under the name Della Reese.
“When you come to the edge of all the light you know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.”
