Tamela Mann

Tamela Jean Mann (née Johnson; born June 9, 1966)[1] is an American gospel singer, and actress.

Tamela Mann
Born
Tamela Jean Johnson

(1966-06-09) June 9, 1966
Limestone County, Texas, U.S.
OccupationSinger, actress
Years active1992–present
Spouse(s)David Mann Sr. (m. 1988)
ChildrenTiffany Mann, Porcia Mann, Sonya Hurd, David Mann Jr., Tia Mann
Websitewww.tillymannmusic.com

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.[2]

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.

Mann is married to David Mann. They starred on 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.[3] The brand offers a variety of athleisure and workout wear for the curvy woman.

Early life

Mann was born Tamela Jean Johnson,[4] in Limestone County, 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.[5]

Career

Kirk Franklin and the Family

Mann's musical career began when she joined Kirk Franklin and the Family.[6] She has also enjoyed collaborating and performing with artists such as Yolanda Adams, Excell Amos, Mary J. Blige, Al Green, Celine Dion, Bono, R. Kelly and Fred Hammond. 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"

Tamela Mann in 2017

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.[7]

On August 7, 2020, Mann released the single "Touch from You".[8]

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.[9] They have always worked together professionally.

David and Tamela renewed their 25th wedding vows in the spring of 2013. They raised four children together: David's daughters Porcia and Tiffany, from a previous relationship; their children together, David Jr and Tia; and Tamela's niece, Sonya, whom the couple raised. David and Tamela also have eight grandchildren.[10]

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.[11] 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. [12]

Films

Television

Plays

Awards and nominations
  • Stellar Awards nominations:[13]
    • 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
List of albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales Certificacions
US
[14]		 US
Gospel
[15]		 US
Indie
[16]
Gotta Keep Movin' —326
    The Master Plan
    • Released: November 3, 2009
    • Formats: CD, digital download
    		 97210
      Best Days
      • Released: August 14, 2012
      • Formats: CD, digital download
      		 1413
      • US: 600,000
      One Way
      • Released: September 9, 2016
      • Formats: CD, digital download
      		 4517
      • US: 200,000
      "—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.

      Live albums
      List of albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications
      Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
      US
      [14]      		 US
      Gospel
      [15]      		 US
      Indie
      [16]
      The Live Experience
      • Released: May 8, 2007
      • Formats: DVD/CD
      		 —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"[8] (2020)

        References
        1. Texas Birth Index. "Tamela J Johnson, Born 6/9/1966 in Texas". Texas Birth Index. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
        2. "Tamela Mann". Billboard.com. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
        3. https://getuperica.com/117427/tamela-mann-launches-plus-size-active-apparel/
        4. "According to the State of Texas. Texas Birth Index, 1926–1995". Familytreelegends.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
        5. "Homepage". Tamelamann.com. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
        6. "The Leading Tamela Mann Site on the Net". tamelamann.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2005. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
        7. https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8543756/decade-in-charts-2010s-gospel
        8. "‎Touch from You by Tamela Mann on Apple Music". Retrieved August 7, 2020 – via Apple Music.
        9. 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.
        10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 24, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
        11. Ref: https://www.essence.com/feature/tamela-mann-weight-watchers-new-ambassador/
        12. https://starstudds.com/tamela-mann-weight-loss/
        13. "The Official 23rd Annual Stellar Award WINNERS (2008) – brought to you by". Gospelflava.com. January 12, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
        14. "Tamela Mann – Chart history (Billboard 200)". Billboard.com.
        15. "Tamela Mann – Chart history (Gospel Albums)". Billboard.com.
        16. "Tamela Mann – Chart history (Independent Albums)". Billboard.com.
        17. Arbet, DeVante (August 20, 2014). "News Smokie Norful's 'Forever Yours' Hits #1 On Billboard". Retrieved August 22, 2014.
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