Darlene Love

Darlene Wright, known by the stage name Darlene Love, is an American R&B and soul singer and actress, born on July 26, 1941. Love was the lead singer of the girl group the Blossoms and had a successful career as a solo artist as well. She began singing as a child with her local church choir and later started recording with producer Phil Spector who renamed her Darlene Love. Love eventually became a sought-after vocalist working with famous musicians of the 1960s such as Sam Cooke, Dionne Warwick, the Beach Boys, and Elvis Presley. As an actress, Love performed in various Broadway productions and had a recurring role in the Lethal Weapon film series. Every year, she was invited by David Letterman to sing 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' on his late-night television talk show, earning her the title 'Christmas Queen'. Today, she is acknowledged as one of the greatest singers, being listed among Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. She also featured in the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, for which she won a Grammy Award. Besides her singing career, Love had an acting stint in the late 1980s and 1990s, playing Trish Murtaugh, the wife of Danny Glover's character, in the Lethal Weapon movies. She also starred in various Broadway productions like Grease, Carrie, and Hairspray.