She performed her first talent show at the age of 13, and afterwards her first record "I Just Can't Forget That Boy", was released.
The highlight of that period was singing back-up for Aretha Franklin at Carnegie Hall.
The album was produced by the R&B team Mtume and Reggie Lucas, former jazz musicians who had scored pop hits for Stephanie Mills, Roberta Flack, Donnie Hathaway, Phyllis Hyman and Lou Rawls.
She came on board with founding Crusaders members Joe Sample, Wilton Felder and Stix Hooper after the departure of Randy Crawford, performing renditions of their 1979 pop hit "Street Life".
It starred Regina King, Courtney Vance, Kathleen Turner, and Ed Asner.