Melba Moore

Melba Moore known is an American disco, R&B singer and actress.  Moore began her performing career in 1967 as Dionne in the original cast of the musical Hair along with Ronnie Dyson and Diane Keaton. Moore replaced Keaton in the role of Sheila. Moore replaced Keaton in the role of Sheila. In 1970, Moore won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in Purlie where she portrayed Lutiebelle. She would not return to Broadway afterwards until 1978 when she appeared as Marsinah with Eartha Kitt in Timbuktu! Following the success of Purlie, Moore landed two big screen film roles, released two successful albums including 1970's I Got Love and Look What You're Doing to the Man and co-starred with actor Clifton Davis in the then-couple's own successful variety television series in 1972.

 In 1976, she scored her third Grammy nomination with the R&B ballad, "Lean on Me", which had been recorded originally by Vivian Reed and later by Moore's idol Aretha Franklin. In addition to winning a Tony Award, Moore’s music career brought additional accolades. She was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1971 for Best New Artist. Her 1975, her second album, Peach Melba, landed her a Grammy nomination. In 1976, she earned another Grammy nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female for the song "Lean on Me.” Moore was also nominated for Best Female Rock Vocal in 1986 for "Read My Lips".

Moore returned to Broadway in 1995 landing a part in Les Misérables. A year later, she started her long-running one-woman show, Sweet Songs of the Soul, later renamed I'm Still Standing. In 2007, she landed a role in the Broadway revival of Ain't Misbehavin'. Moore is currently working on a new album which is scheduled to be released in 2011. The album is being produced by Rahni Song and Dominic McFadden, son of the late Gene McFadden of McFadden & Whitehead. Her song called "Love Is" debuted on the R&B charts in 2011 at #87.