Withers was born in
Joliet, Illinois, and studied at the
Berklee College of Music and then at
New York University. She sang as a
backup vocalist for
Celine Dion and
Jennifer Lopez, among others, and released several dance singles under the name
Elle Patrice, including "Rising" and "Emotions". After hearing these singles,
Nick Ashford asked her to audition for a
Broadway production of
The Color Purple, where she won the part of Shug Avery. Her performance earned her a
Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical nomination at the
60th Tony Awards. As a neo soul singer, Withers signed with
Blue Note Records in 2005. In 2007, she released a full-length album on Blue Note Records. She performed on the PBS television show
Between the Lions, a puppet educational show as a member of Fonix, singing backup and leading vocals. ==Discography==