Tamela Mann
 | This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (February 2019) |
Tamela Mann | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Tamela Jean Johnson Limestone County, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation | Singer, actress |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse(s) | David Mann Sr. (m. 1988) |
| Children | 5 |
| Website | www |
Tamela Jean Mann (née Johnson) is an American gospel singer, and actress.
Tamela Mann began her career as a singer with the gospel group Kirk Franklin and the Family. She was a featured soloist on several tracks while with Franklin's group, including "Don't Take Your Joy Away", "Now Behold the Lamb", and "Lean on Me", the latter of which also included Mary J. Blige, Crystal Lewis, R. Kelly, and Bono. She released her debut studio album in 2005. Her third studio album, Best Days was certified Gold by the RIAA, and lead single "Take Me to the King" was a major commercial success, as well as receiving a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance.[1]
Tamela Mann is known for her role as Cora Simmons in Tyler Perry's plays, including I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea's Family Reunion, Madea's Class Reunion, Meet the Browns, and What's Done in the Dark. Mann has appeared in movies including Madea Goes to Jail and Madea's Big Happy Family. She recorded some songs on the soundtrack for Diary of a Mad Black Woman, including participating in the song "Father (Can You Hear Me)". Mann is reprising her role as Cora Simmons in the new television comedy, Tyler Perry's Assisted Living, scheduled to debut on BET in summer 2020.
Tamela Mann is married to David Mann. They starred on Tyler Perry’s I can Do Bad All By Myself Play then later on to the TBS sitcom Meet the Browns from 2009 to 2011. In 2015, they began starring on the Bounce TV sitcom Mann & Wife.
Aside from her musical and acting pursuits, Mann launched a new line of clothing, the Tamela Mann Collection, in 2019.[2] The brand offers a variety of athleisure and workout wear for the curvy woman.
Early life[]
Mann was born in Fort Worth, Texas, the youngest of 14 children. She and her siblings grew up in a very spiritual home grounded in the Church of God in Christ (COGIC). They were reared by their mother, "Mother Eppe," who believed in and exercised solid biblical principles.
By the age of 12, Mann was singing in the church's adult choir and was often selected to sing solos. Although she was bashful, she blossomed in the local church and high school choirs.[3]
Career[]
Kirk Franklin and the Family[]
Mann's musical career began when she joined Kirk Franklin and the Family.[4] She has also enjoyed collaborating and performing with artists such as Yolanda Adams, Mary J. Blige, Al Green, Celine Dion, Bono, R. Kelly and Fred Hammond. "Local legends" that have collaborated with Mann include" Demarcus Williams, Myron Williams, Kermit Wells, Excell Amos, Myron Butler and a host of others. She went on to join the gospel musical cast of David E. Talbert as he directed the stage play He Say... She Say... But What Does God Say?
Acting career[]
Mann began acting in 1999 when she was discovered by Tyler Perry. She debuted in the stage play I Can Do Bad All By Myself.
She went on to act in Meet the Browns, Madea's Family Reunion, Madea's Class Reunion, Diary of a Mad Black Woman and What's Done in the Dark. She has appeared on television shows including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, BET Soundstage, the 1999 Grammy Awards, the Dove Awards, the United States of America World Olympics, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, and Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns, in which she portrays Mr. Brown's daughter.
She has appeared in movies, including the 2001 comedy Kingdom Come, Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Meet The Browns. She also had a role in 2009's Tyler Perry movie Madea Goes to Jail. Mann appeared in the 2012 film Sparkle, a remake of the 1976 film of the same name, alongside Whitney Houston and American Idol winner and R&B singer Jordin Sparks, making her film debut.
She is currently filming a new cooking show with her husband David, Hanging with the Manns. They also have a reality show on BET "It's a Mann's World"
Solo musical career[]
In 2005, Mann and her husband David created their own label, Tillymann Music Group, which they have released several projects through. In 2005 her solo album, Gotta Keep Movin', was released. In 2007 she released her first live album, The Live Experience. Mann's songs "Father Can You hear Me" and "Take It To Jesus" can be heard in the movie and on the soundtrack album of Diary of a Mad Black Woman.
In 2009 her second studio album, The Master Plan, was released. It peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Gospel Album Chart, and at number 97 on the Billboard 200.
Mann's third studio album, Best Days, was released on August 14, 2012. It debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart, and number 14 on the Billboard 200.
Mann won Stellar Award's "Best Female Gospel Artist of the Year" in 2014, as well as Best Gospel Artist at the 2014 BET Awards.
In 2018, Mann released a duets album with her husband entitled, Us Against the World: The Love Project.
In 2019, Billboard announced that Best Days was the Gospel Album of the Decade.[5]
On August 7, 2020, Mann released the single "Touch from You".[6]
Personal life[]
Tamela is the wife of actor David Mann, known for his role as Deacon Leroy Brown in some of Tyler Perry's plays. In the Madea TV shows and movies, she plays Mr. Brown's daughter, Cora.[7] They have always worked together professionally.
David and Tamela renewed their 25th wedding vows in the spring of 2013. They raised five children together: David's daughter, Porcia, niece Sonya, David’s daughter Tiffany, and their children together, David Jr and Tia. They also have thirteen grandchildren.[8]
In January 2015, a reality show about their family, It's A Mann's World, premiered on BET. David and Tamela are devout Christians, and in this program are able to show how they have a fun-loving, balanced family, centered in godly principles and coping with real-life obstacles. In 2019, Tamela joined the WW International family as a weightloss ambassador.[9] On July 23, 2019, Tamela had double knee surgery just a couple of months after starting her weight loss journey. She recovered quickly and went on to lose 100 pounds of weight by January 1, 2020.[10]
Films[]
- Kingdom Come (2001) as Lady #2
- Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005) as Cora Simmons
- Meet the Browns (2008) as Cora Simmons
- Madea Goes to Jail (2009) as Cora Simmons
- Madea's Big Happy Family (2011) as Cora Simmons
- Sparkle (2012) as Sarah Waters
- Merry Wishmas (2018) as Kennie
A Madea Homecoming as Cora Simmons
Television[]
- Mann and Wife as Toni Mann (30 episodes 2015-2017)
- In the Meantime as Minnie (TV Film 2013)
- Meet the Browns as Cora Simmons (82 episodes 2008–2011)
- Tyler Perry's House of Payne as Cora Simmons (4 episodes 2007, 2008)
- Down Home with the Neelys as Tamela Mann (1 episode 2010)
- New York Undercover, "A Time of Faith" Part 1 & 2 (1996) as part of the church choir with Kirk Franklin and the Family
- It's a Mann's World as Tamela Mann (2015–present)
- The Manns as Tamela Mann (2017–present)
- Tyler Perry's Assisted Living as Cora Simmons
Plays[]
- Madea's Farewell (2019) as Cora Simmons
- What's Done in the Dark (2007) as Cora Simmons
- Meet the Browns (2004) as Cora Simmons
- Madea's Class Reunion (2003) as Cora Simmons
- Madea's Family Reunion (2002) as Cora Simmons
- Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2001) as Myrtle Simmons
- I Can Do Bad All By Myself (2000) as Cora Simmons
Awards and nominations[]
- Stellar Awards nominations:[11]
- 2006: Gospel Album of the Year – Gotta Keep Movin'
- 2008: Female Vocalist of the Year – The Live Experience
- 2008: Contemporary Female Artist of The Year – The Live Experience
- Dove Awards nominations:
- Traditional Gospel Record Song of the Year – The Master Plan
- Traditional Gospel Album of the Year – The Master Plan: winner
- 2013 Traditional Gospel Album of the Year Best Days: winner
- 2013 NAACP Image Awards nominations:
- Gospel Album of the Year – Best Days
- 2017 Grammy Awards nominations:
- 2017 Best Gospel Song/Performance - God Provides: winner
- 2013 Grammy Awards nominations:
- 2013 Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance – "Take Me to the King"
- 2014 Stellar Awards nominations:
- Praise and Worship CD of the Year: winner
- Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year: winner
- CD of the Year: winner
- Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year: winner
- CD of the Year Award: winner
- 2014 BET Awards nominations:
- Best Gospel Artist: winner
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales | Certificacions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [12] |
US Gospel [13] |
US Indie [14] | ||||
| Gotta Keep Movin' |
|
— | 3 | 26 | ||
| The Master Plan |
|
97 | 2 | 10 | ||
| Best Days |
|
14 | 1 | 3 |
|
|
| One Way |
|
45 | 1 | 7 |
|
|
| Overcomer | •Released August 6, 2021
•Formats: CD, Digital download |
52 | 3 [1] | |||
| "—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart. | ||||||
Live albums[]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [12] |
US Gospel [13] |
US Indie [14] | |||||||||||||||||
| The Live Experience |
|
— | 29 | — | |||||||||||||||
| "—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart. | |||||||||||||||||||
- Soundtracks
- Diary of a Mad Black Woman
- Meet The Browns
Singles[]
- "Speak Lord" (2006) No. 4 Gospel Songs
- "The Master Plan" (2010) No. 13 Gospel Songs
- "Joy Of The Lord" (2010) No. 12 Gospel Songs
- "Step Aside" (2010) No. 30 Gospel Songs
- "Take Me to the King" (2012) No. 1 Gospel Songs, No. 125 US Bubbling Under
- "Change Me" (2017) No. 12 Gospel Songs
- "Touch from You"[6] (2020)
References[]
- ^ "Tamela Mann". Billboard.com. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
- ^ "Tamela Mann Launches Plus Size Active Apparel". April 16, 2019.
- ^ "Homepage". Tamelamann.com. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
- ^ "The Leading Tamela Mann Site on the Net". tamelamann.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2005. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
- ^ "The Decade in Gospel Charts: Hezekiah Walker Deserves 'Praise' and Tamela Mann is 'Best'".
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Touch from You by Tamela Mann on Apple Music". Retrieved August 7, 2020 – via Apple Music.
- ^ Christian, Margena. "Husband and wife, David and Tamela Mann, keep Madea on her toes in Meet the Browns." Jet Magazine. 118.2. August 27, 2007: 34.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 24, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ Ref: https://www.essence.com/feature/tamela-mann-weight-watchers-new-ambassador/
- ^ "Everything You Need to Know about Tamela Mann Weight Loss! | Star Studds".
- ^ "The Official 23rd Annual Stellar Award WINNERS (2008) – brought to you by". Gospelflava.com. January 12, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Tamela Mann – Chart history (Billboard 200)". Billboard.com.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Tamela Mann – Chart history (Gospel Albums)". Billboard.com.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Tamela Mann – Chart history (Independent Albums)". Billboard.com.
- ^ Arbet, DeVante (August 20, 2014). "News Smokie Norful's 'Forever Yours' Hits #1 On Billboard". Retrieved August 22, 2014.
External links[]
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- 1966 births
- 21st-century American singers
- 20th-century American singers
- 21st-century American actresses
- Living people
- African-American Christians
- American gospel singers
- Singers from Texas
- People from Fort Worth, Texas
- Actresses from Texas
- African-American actresses
- American film actresses
- American stage actresses
- 20th-century American women singers
- 21st-century American women singers
- African-American female singers