DELLA REESE - AUTOGRAPH NOTE SIGNED - HFSID 343722

DELLA REESE
The talented singer, actress and first Black woman to host her own variety television show signs her name with "Love, Love, Love" in blue felt tip on a 11½x14 page, under an affixed, black and white photo
Autograph note signed: "For you Jim Love, Love, Love,/Della Reese". In blue felt tip.4½x7 B/w photo affixed, 11½14 overall; two surfaces. Della Reese (1931-2017), born Delloreese Patricia, began singing in her hometown of Detroit at age six. Beginning in 1945, she toured with Mahalia Jackson's women's gospel group, The Meditation Singers, for five summers. After joining the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra in 1953, Reese began making records and became known as a skillful interpreter of a number of genres of music, from jazz to R&B to gospel. Nominated for a 1987 Grammy Award as Best Female Soloist in Gospel Music, Reese has achieved a number of firsts over her long career: first performer to take gospel music to the casinos of Las Vegas; first woman to guest-host The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (1969); and, first Black woman to host her own variety show (Della, 1969-1970). Also a talented actress, Reese has appeared on television and film. From 1994-2003, Reese, an ordained minister, played Tess, the mentoring angel, in the CBS drama, Touched By An Angel. Reese is a founder and ordained minister of the Understanding Principles for Better Living church. Two holes punched in left margin from binding. Pencil note: "Jim"  in unknown hand in lower left margin. Lightly toned. Otherwise, fine condition.