Jade

Tonya Kelly absorbed the sounds of jazz vocalists like Sarah Vaughan and Nat Cole while growing up in Chicago. Joi Marshall, likewise raised in the Windy City, was steeped instead in Motown by her parents, above all the recordings of Diana Ross. Di Reed, the third member of Jade, sang gospel at every available venue during her upbringing in Houston. Drawing on those divergent origins, the '90s R&B trio scored early success with its opening three singles, "I Wanna Love You," "Don't Walk Away," and "One Woman." Their gold debut album JADE to the Max generated an extended tour plus appearances on The Tonight Show, Arsenio, and the U.K.'s Top of the Pops. Kelly, Marshall, and Reed wrote five songs for the follow-up and produced its a cappella intro and closing piece; Mind, Body & Song appeared in 1994.