Della Reese Joins SmartTalk Connected Conversations at the Aronoff Center

Gladys Knight is unable to appear as scheduled on Tuesday, May 17, as part of the SmartTalk ConnectedConversations series at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati. Seven-time Grammy Award-winning performer Gladys Knight will not be able to perform at SmartTalk for her scheduled date as she is headlining in a special engagement at the newly transformed Tropicana Las Vegas, beginning Tuesday, April 5, 2011. Replacing Gladys on Tuesday, May 17 at 7:30 PM as the last speaker in the 2011 season will be Della Reese, the WORLD- FAMOUS SINGER, ACTRESS AND TELEVISION STAR

"Naturally, we are disappointed that Ms. Gladys Knight will not be appearing with us in Cincinnati this year, but our patrons will be thrilled with the noteworthy replacement we have secured in Della Reese. We wish Ms. Knight success with her ongoing Las Vegas headliner act and hope to bring her back to the Cincinnati market soon," said Karen Menke, Chairwoman, SMARTTALK Media.

Ticket holders may use their original Gladys Knight tickets for the Della Reese event on May 17. No new tickets will be issued. Ticket holders are being contacted by e-mail and mail.

Single tickets may be purchased at www.CincinnatiArts.ORG, by phoning, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], or the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. Due to the nature of live theatre, speakers dates and times are subject to change.

About Della Reese

Raised in Detroit, Michigan, Della Reese is a world famous singer, actress and television star. As well as a spokeswoman for the American Diabetes Association and an Ordained Minister! Ms. Reese was born Deloreese Patricia and becan singing at six years old! By the age of thirteen she was hired by the late Mahalia Jackson to tour and perform with her.

Later, while majoring in psychology at Wayne State University, in Detroit, Ms. Reese formed her own female gospel group, The Meditation Singers, which is listed in the "Who's Who of Gospel Music."

While her roots were still in gospel Music, Ms. Reese developed an individual popular style that took her to national prominence. In 1953, she made the move to New York City, became a vocalist with the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra. Her early recordings include: "In The Still of The Night", "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", and "Time After Time". Della had her first major hit with "And That Reminds Me (of you)". In 1959, Della enjoyed her biggest hit, a tune adapted from Puccini's "La Boheme", entitled "Don't You Know?" and was nominated for a Grammy as best female vocalist. This led to Ms. Reese performing for the next nine years in Las Vegas on the famed "Strip". In the thirty years that followed "Don't You Know?" Della Reese continued her string recordings and was again nominated for a Grammy in 1987 as best female soloist in Gospel.

A generous amount of television exposure followed Ms. Reese's first recording successes. In the late '50's and early '60's, she appeared on many television shows that are now considered classics. She was also the first female to host The Tonight Show. She was soon asked to host her own talk show, Della, (making her the first Black woman to host her own show) which was syndicated nationally in 1969-70.

Television, which became the major medium of the '70's and '80's, saw a lot of Della Reese. Later she was to star in her own series, The Royal Family with Redd Foxx. She received an Emmy nomination for her work in the television movie Nightmare in Badham County.

Her most recent television credit was the CBS dramatic series, Touched By An Angel where she was able to combine her talent for acting and singing, as she sang the theme song. Ms. Reese's television work was honored in 1994, when she received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Della will inspire you with her ability to be more than an entertainer, more than an actress and more than a minister- she is living proof that you can dream larger dreams and watch them come true!. Don't miss this EXCLUSIVE SMARTTALK EVENT.

About SmartTalk

A wholly-owned subsidiary of SmartTalk Media LLC, the SmartTalk ConnectedConversations^TM series (SmartTalk) provides its audiences with inspirational, connected conversations -- from renowned entertainers, political figures and other accomplished individuals. Since 1992, the producers of SmartTalk have presented captivating stories from such remarkable women as Julie Andrews, Barbara Walters, Mary Tyler Moore, Lady Margaret Thatcher, Maya Angelou, Erin Brockovich, Whoopi Goldberg, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn and Jane Goodall. The performers share their real, very personal views and life experiences in a way that is intimate, empowering and, above all, connected to the lives of women everywhere. For more information, please visitwww.smarttalkwomen.com. 

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