Regina Belle

Regina Belle is an American singer-songwriter born on July 17, 1963, in Englewood, New Jersey. She made a Broadway appearance in 1989, performing in Freddie Jackson: Up Close & Personal.

Belle's early musical development took place in church, first at Englewood's Mount Calvary Baptist Church and later at Paterson's Friendship Baptist Church, where her uncle, the Reverend Fred Belle, served as pastor. She sang her first church solo at age eight. At Dwight Morrow High School, she studied trombone, tuba, and steel drums. Following graduation, she pursued opera studies at the Manhattan School of Music and later enrolled at Rutgers University, where she became the first female vocalist in the school's jazz ensemble. Her musical influences include Phyllis Hyman, Billie Holiday, Shirley Caesar, Patti LaBelle, and Nancy Wilson.

Her professional career began after New York radio DJ Vaughn Harper introduced her to the Manhattans, for whom she worked as an opening act. She recorded the duet "Where Did We Go Wrong" with the group on their Back to Basics album, which drew the attention of Columbia Records. A second duet, "Maybe Tomorrow," appeared on the same release, and Columbia subsequently signed her. She released her debut album, All by Myself, in 1987, which included the singles "So Many Tears" and "Show Me the Way." That same year, she recorded "Without You" with Peabo Bryson, the love theme from the film Leonard Part 6, which reached number eight on the Adult Contemporary chart and appeared on four charts including the UK Singles chart. Her follow-up album, Stay with Me, was released in 1989, the same year her singles "Baby Come to Me" appeared. Her 1990 single "Make It Like It Was" followed.

Belle collaborated with Peabo Bryson on a total of four duets: "Without You" in 1987, "I Can't Imagine" in 1991, "A Whole New World" in 1992, and "Total Praise" in 2009. "A Whole New World," recorded as the main theme of Disney's animated feature Aladdin, earned Belle and Bryson a Grammy Award. The song was also featured on her 1993 platinum-selling third album, Passion. In 1991, she recorded the duet "Better Together" with Johnny Mathis, which appeared on his album Better Together: The Duet Album. Her duet with Jeffrey Osborne, "Far Longer than Forever," served as the theme song for the 1994 animated film The Swan Princess and received a Golden Globe nomination in 1995 for Best Original Song.

Belle released Reachin' Back in 1995 and Believe in Me in 1998. In 2001, her cover of "Just the Two of Us," recorded for the tribute album To Grover, With Love, returned to the Billboard charts. She subsequently signed with Peak-Concord Jazz and released This Is Regina!, which included the R&B single "Ooh Boy" as well as "Don't Wanna Go Home" and "From Now On" with Glenn Jones. In 2004, she released the jazz standard album Lazy Afternoon, produced by George Duke, featuring covers of the Isley Brothers' "For the Love of You" and Tony Bennett's "If I Ruled the World." In 2007, she co-wrote material and contributed vocals to smooth jazz saxophonist Paul Taylor's album Ladies Choice. Her debut gospel album, Love Forever Shines, was released on May 13, 2008, via Pendulum Records, featuring guests Melvin Williams of the Williams Brothers and Shirley Murdock. A second gospel album, Higher, followed on June 5, 2012, also on Pendulum Records. Belle has performed in concert alongside Ray Charles, Boney James, Al Jarreau, Stephanie Mills, Maze, Frankie Beverly, Will Downing, Phil Perry, Gerald Albright, The Rippingtons, and Paul Taylor, among others.

Belle was first married to saxophonist and flute player Horace Alexander Young from 1985 to 1990; together they adopted a daughter, Tiy, born in 1989. She married former NBA basketball player John Battle on June 25, 1991. The couple has four children, two of whom are adopted: a daughter named Winter and a son named Jayln. Following two miscarriages of twin boys, Belle and Battle had daughters Sydni, born in 1994, and Nyla, born November 10, 1995. Belle has two grandchildren through Winter, named Thea and Joshua. Belle and her husband reside in Atlanta, Georgia, where John Battle serves as a church pastor. In 2009, Belle successfully battled a brain tumor, though the experience left her deaf in her left ear.