Beatrice Melba Smith (Melba Moore)

October 29, 1945 Beatrice Melba Smith (Melba Moore), R&B singer and actress, was born in New York City.

Moore earned a bachelor’s degree in musical education from Montclair State Teacher’s College and taught music for a year in the Newark Public School System. She began her performing career in 1967 in the cast of “Hair.”

In 1970, Moore won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in “Purlie.” She followed that performance with two successful albums, “I Got Love” (1970) and “Look What You’re Doing to the Man” (1971). Other hits by Moore include “This Is It” (1976), “Love’s Comin’ At Ya” (1982), “Livin’ For Your Love” (1984), and “Falling” (1986). In addition to the Tony Award, Moore has been nominated for four Grammy Awards.