A woman best known as “Tess” on the iconic 90s show “Touched by an Angel,” Della Reese (birth name Deloreese Patricia Early) got her start on Detroit’s east side in an area once known as “Black Bottom,” the only child of a steelworker and a cook.

Raised in the choir, she found her gospel roots early, her angelic voice revealing itself early in the pews of Ebenezer AME Church.

By the age of six, she was already belting out gospel, and by her teen years she was a member of Mahalia Jackson’s national tour, learning firsthand from the queen herself.

That said, Della was never the type to feel satisfied staying in just one lane.

She further expanded her sound into blues, jazz, and big band, developing the kind of elegance that made her seem destined for bigger things.

A prized alumna of the legendary Cass Technical High School, Della Reese honed her craft in Detroit’s supper clubs before taking the leap and relocating to Los Angeles.

From there, in 1959, she broke through to the big leagues with the hit song “Don’t You Know?”, a divine operatic crossover ballad that landed Della in the Billboard Top 10 before going on to receive a Grammy nomination.

Practically overnight, Della became known as a woman with a voice that was full, expressive, and capable of penetrating straight to the soul.

She didn’t just sing songs, she embodied them.

In the 1960s into the 1970s, Della hosted her own show, which bore her namesake (Della), going on to headline shows in Vegas and become a variety show staple.

That said, she never changed herself to better into the industry.

Instead, she forced it to make space for her, bringing Detroit’s refinement and determination along for the ride.

Later in life, Reese tapped back into her early “Touched by an Angel” fame by following a spiritual calling, founding a church in Inglewood and becoming a minister.

In short:

Detroit’s iconic Della Reese isn’t just another performer that rose from the ashes of a broken city.

She’s Detroit’s graceful screen Matriarch…

Bold, holy, and powerful.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: September 27, 2025