Sheryl Lee Ralph is an American actress, singer, and activist. She is best known for her role as Deidra “Dee” Mitchell on the UPN comedy Moesha (1996-2001). She also originated the role of Deena Jones in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls (1981). Ralph was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, the daughter of Ivy, a fashion designer, and Stanley Ralph, a college professor.
Ralph attended Uniondale High School in Uniondale, NY. She starred in a high-school production of the musical Oklahoma!, portraying Ado Annie. Earlier that year she was crowned Miss Black Teen-age New York.
At 19, Ralph was the youngest woman to ever graduate from Rutgers University; during her time at Rutgers, Ralph was one of the earliest winners of the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships awarded by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.
Also that year she was named one of the top ten college women in America by Glamour magazine. Initially she hoped to study medicine, but after dealing with cadavers in a pre-med class and winning a scholarship in a competition at the American College Theater Festival, she gave up medicine for the performing arts.
Many years later, she served as the commencement speaker at Rutgers for the Class of 2003. In May 2008 Ralph was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Tougaloo College after giving the commencement address. Ralph began her career on the stage, and was nominated in 1982 for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Deena Jones in Dreamgirls.
In 1984, Ralph released her only album In the Evening, in which the title track peaked at #6 on the Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart that same year. In 1988 she starred in the Disney movie Oliver & Company, providing the voice of Rita.
On television she is known for playing Ginger St. James on It’s a Living, Etienne Toussaint-Bouvier on Designing Women, and Dee Mitchell on Moesha. She provided the voice of Cheetah in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. Ralph produced Divas Simply Singing, which has become an important AIDS fundraiser. Sheryl brought a new face to the sufferings of war in the NBC hit series ER.
Sheryl Lee Ralph – In The Evening
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Evolution
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Be Somebody
Sheryl Lee Ralph – You’re So Romantic
Sheryl Lee Ralph – I’m So Glad That We Met
I love these songs……
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They don’t make GREAT music like this anymore.
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💙💙💙💙💙
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Sheryl Lee Ralph!!!!!!!
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I like how the first song video talks to you. Its like watching a movie.
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She use to be very slim? I never knew that she was that slim back then until I watched this video of her.
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Her arms are so tiny and skinny in the red dress, you can tell that she was very young age there; She probably did some modeling with that figure.
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Beautiful song and video, great artists.
sadly not much ppl like that nowadays
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First video I purchased ✌🏻️
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what a tune. in the evening and makeup on par.
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Will always love listening to this song.
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Gorgeous woman!!
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Her eyes are bright and pretty. I have no words… Super.
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Glorious 80s
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wow… I used to hear this song while I was young, but I didn’t know the words or under stand it,, but just loving it,,till today.. beautiful.
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This is what is called CATCHING LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE!
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dedication👍👍👍👍
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Pretty looking on her is that red dress and red is my favourite colour.
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love Miss Ralph…love this uplifting song….God how we need it now!
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pretty fine classy babe.
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