Darlene Love

Darlene Love, is an American popular music singer and actress. She is ranked number 84 among Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers. In 2011 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Love was just a high school sophomore in Los Angeles when she was discovered out of a gospel choir, and asked to join a burgeoning girl group called The Blossoms, who began recording for Phil Spector. Soon thereafter, other artists like Sam Cooke were attracted to her powerful sound, and sought Love on their recordings. With The Blossoms and Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, Love sang lead vocals on some of the greatest music hits of the 60's. The Blossoms landed a weekly spot on the landmark television series SHINDIG, and through the 60's and 70's, Love continued to perform with and back-up such diverse artists as The Beach Boys, The Mamas & The Papas, Tom Jones, The Righteous Brothers and Sonny & Cher. She then put background singing to the side in order to pursue a solo career and when she did, even greater things began to happen. She has received great national press exposure, including a feature in PEOPLE magazine, a CNN television documentary on her life, and bookings on numerous national television programs, including TODAY, Rosie O'Donnell, Maury Povich, Politically Incorrect, Donny & Marie and the Oprah Winfrey show.

From her first number one recording,"He's A Rebel", through her string of label hits with legendary producer Phil Spector, including "Da Doo Ron Ron", "He's Sure The Boy I'm Gonna Marry", and "Christmas Baby Please Come Home" to the countless songs she sang backup on for artists like Sam Cooke, Elvis Presley, Dionne Warwick, Cher and Aretha Franklin, Love is still blazing a trail of success in the music industry. Over the course of her career Love has been hailed as the greatest singer in pop music. She has proven herself a talented actress as well, on stage and screen, starring as Danny Glover's wife in all of the "Lethal Weapon" films and lighting-up Broadway in such musicals as "Grease" and the Tony-award nominated "Leader of the Pack."

In 2012, Love had a heart attack and learned that the rate of death from heart disease is 20 percent higher in African Americans compared with non-Hispanic white people. Love has since shared her story to shed light on this problem and advocate for women to life a healthy lifestyle and get routine checkups.