Here is the rewritten biography:
Ann Nesby is a multi-talented artist, actress, and songwriter, renowned for her versatility and creative genius. With a career spanning over two decades, she has collaborated with an impressive array of talents across theater, film, and music.
Nesby's professional journey began in the 1980s, working with Rev. James Cleveland and the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA). She then joined the Minneapolis-based inspirational soul ensemble, Sounds of Blackness, and became the lead vocalist under the guidance of music industry icons Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Her exceptional vocal dexterity and songwriting skills earned the group numerous hit singles and international recognition, culminating in two Grammy Award wins in 1991 and 1993.
As a member of Sounds of Blackness, Nesby worked alongside international superstar STING on the 1993 title track "Demolition Man" for the blockbuster film of the same title. By the mid-1990s, the group had amassed a plethora of awards, international recognition, and critical acclaim, graduating from a local music group to launching their first major tour with R&B crooner Luther Vandross and performing at the FIFA World Cup in 1994.
Nesby's star power continued to rise, and under the direction of Jam & Lewis, she penned hit songs for R&B/Soul divas Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle. Her debut solo album, "I'm Here For You," released in 1996, blended her love of storytelling through song and wove a beautiful musical tapestry of R&B, Gospel, and Dance music, spending an impressive 60 weeks atop the R&B best-selling album lists.
Returning to her roots in theater, Nesby began a production with emerging playwright Tyler Perry in his first stage play, "I Know I've Been Changed," starring alongside Perry and Gospel singing sensations Lashun Pace and Latrice Pace from 1998 to 2000. Her most recent stage play production featured her starring in David E. Talbert's 2011 stage production "What My Husband Doesn't Know," alongside Morris Chestnut, Brian White, and Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams.
Entering the 21st century, Nesby continued to build upon her artistic foundation as the music industry shifted. With the release of her first Dance anthology, "The Dance Essentials" on her independent record label, It's Time Child Records, in 2001, the album showcased her top-charting single remixes. Her sophomore album, "Put It On Paper," released in 2002, returned her to the top of the R&B charts, yielding her first solo Grammy nomination for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance in 2003.
Making her motion picture debut, Nesby scored the supporting role of Aunt Sally Walker in the 2003 musical comedy "The Fighting Temptations" opposite Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Beyonce Knowles. She also released her third album, "Make Me Better," in 2003, garnering her another Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Performance in 2004.
After suffering a health scare in 2005, Nesby shed over 100 lbs, regaining control of her health and new image. By 2006, she continued to diversify her range as a recording artist with the release of her first traditional Gospel release "In The Spirit." As a treat to fans, she released the "Ann Nesby the Best of Live" CD/DVD in early 2007, showcasing her diverse repertoire of music and new image.
Appeasing her R&B fans, Nesby released the critically acclaimed 2007 album "This Is Love," spawned Nesby yet another Grammy-nominated single, "I Apologize." Returning to the musical forefront two years later with the release of "The Lula Lee Project," a hybrid blend of funky up-tempo contemporary and soulful Gospel and inspirational songs, Nesby once again proved a vocal and songwriting force to be reckoned with.
Rounding out an impressive musical repertoire and catalog, she released her first ever holiday album in 2009, "Soulful Christmas," where she revisited classic holiday tunes and her signature holiday hit single "Soul Holiday." With a career total of two Grammy wins with Sounds of Blackness, Nesby has amassed an impressive six Grammy nominations as a solo artist since her 1996 solo debut album.
In 2011, Nesby released her 6th studio album entitled "Living My Life" on Arrow Records, a subsidiary of Pastor Creflo and Taffi Dollar's World Changers Church International.
