Minnie riperton biography gemstone

Our creator deemed us worthy, as he bestowed on us an angelic five-octave voice…belonging to one renowned as “MINNIE”.

Minnie Riperton was born in Chicago on November 8,   As a youth she studied music, drama and dance at Chicago’s Lincoln Center, and which also included a career in opera.

Minnie’s pop music career began in when she joined a local girl’s group called “THE GEMS”.  The group soon garnered a recording deal with the famed record label called, “Chess Records”.  They released a handful of singles, and also managed to lend their backing vocals to other such notable Chess Records   acts, which included FONTELLA BASS, THE DELLS and ETTA JAMES.

After Minnie finished high school she found a job working as a receptionist for Chess Records.  Since “THE GEMS” had officially dissolved she soon found herself signed to the label as a solo act where she released the single, entitled