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Yolanda Adams has accomplished what few singers before her have ever achieved: The ability to attract fans from all walks of life without ever straying from the intricate roots that nurtured her Grammy winning voice in the first place.

Her road to the top of the musical mountain' has been filled with the kind of conviction that now causes a new generation of singers to cite her as an influence. A former schoolteacher and avid church singer, the Houston Texas native - and the eldest of six siblings - diligently pursued a singing career.

She caught the eye of prolific composer/producer Thomas Whitfield, who helmed her first-ever record with the prophetic title, Just As I Am, in 1987. It wasn't too long before the young singer was drawing comparisons to Aretha Franklin. Subsequent albums (on gospel labels Verity and Tribute), including 1991's Through The Storm, netted Yolanda several Stellar Awards, and 1995's R&B flavored, award winning More Than A Melody would establish her as a force to be reckoned with gospel or otherwise. The latter disc garnered Yolanda her first Soul Train Lady Of Soul Award, as well as her first Grammy nomination.

Yolanda also began to establish herself as one of the genre's most sought after live attractions. Her incredible performances would soon become legendary throughout the entire music industry. Her 1996 album Yolanda Live In Washington furthered her reputation as a one-of-a-kind performer, and landed her yet another Stellar Award and another Grammy nomination. But it was the ground breaking Elektra debut, Mountain High Valley Low that would change Yolanda's life forever.

A veritable testament to Yolanda's tremendous faith, it was also a nod to her incredible musical savvy. Enlisting producers such as Keith Thomas and the above-mentioned Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Yolanda saw the move to Elektra as a chance to expand her reach without "watering down" her message. Only her seventh album, it captured the amazing potential of Yolanda without sacrificing her commitment to God. Said one rave review: "Much of the album recalls Stevie Wonder or Bob Marley, where spirituality is at the center but it doesn't limit the musical expression."

Despite all the accolades Yolanda's crowning achievement was the birth of her baby girl, Taylor Ayanna. Says Yolanda about that 'experience': "You really don't know what love is until you have a child. No matter how tired I am after a show or how distracted I might be after a long recording session - all I have to do is see her little smile and I know everything is right in the world."