Thelma Houston Bio
Thelma Houston (née Jackson; born May 7, 1946) is an American singer and actress whose career began in the late 1960s. Born in Leland, Mississippi, and raised primarily in Long Beach, California, she rose to international fame with her 1977 rendition of “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” which topped charts around the world and earned her a Grammy Award. Active since 1968, she continues to record, perform, and appear on screen, remaining best known for her powerful vocals and her signature disco-era anthem.
Working across R&B, soul, disco, and gospel, Houston has built a career that spans more than five decades and includes work on records, concert stages, film, and television. Her collaboration with the gospel supergroup Sisters of Glory, her appearances on programs such as American Idol and America’s Got Talent, and her 2024 run on The Masked Singer have kept her visible to new generations of fans.
Early Life and Background
Thelma Houston was born Thelma Jackson on May 7, 1946, in Leland, Mississippi. Her mother worked as a cotton picker, and Houston grew up alongside her three sisters. The family later relocated, and she was raised primarily in Long Beach, California, where she came of age and first encountered the music that would shape her future.
After marrying and having two children, Houston joined the Art Reynolds Singers gospel group, an experience that sharpened her vocal style and introduced her to professional performance. The group’s success led to her being signed as a recording artist with Dunhill Records, opening the door to a career in the wider music industry.
Path to Music
Houston’s transition from gospel performer to recording artist began when she signed with Dunhill Records. Her debut album, Sunshower, was released in 1969. The record was produced, arranged, and largely composed by Jimmy Webb and earned critical praise even though it did not produce a major commercial hit.
In 1971 she signed with Motown Records, where her early releases were largely unsuccessful. Her most notable single during this period was “You’ve Been Doing Wrong for So Long,” which peaked at No. 64 on the US Billboard R&B chart in 1974. Although the song did not chart highly, Houston’s vocal performance earned her a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, signaling that her talent was being recognized within the industry.
Thelma Houston Career
Early Career (1968–1976)
During the early 1970s, Houston built her reputation through a mix of recordings, live performances, and television appearances. In 1973 Motown Productions announced a projected biographical film of Dinah Washington that would star Houston, but the project was dropped due to difficulties in securing clearance from Washington’s relatives. The following year she joined the cast of The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine, playing various characters during the show’s skits. The show was canceled in August 1974, and for the next several years her work was limited to demo recordings and small-venue performances.
In 1975, Houston took acting classes and received her first role in the made-for-television film Death Scream. That same year, Sheffield Lab released I’ve Got the Music in Me, a direct-to-disc recording by Thelma Houston and Pressure Cooker that became a benchmark vinyl recording for audiophiles and was added to the National Recording Registry in 2025. She also recorded songs for the soundtrack of the film The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings, appeared on the Golden Globe Award broadcast performing the nominated song “On & On,” and was featured in a tribute to Berry Gordy on that year’s American Music Award broadcast singing “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.”
Breakthrough (1976–1977)
Houston released her third solo album, Any Way You Like It, in 1976. The first single from the album was her version of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ 1975 song “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” In February 1977 the track hit No. 1 in the United States on the R&B and Club Play Singles charts, and in April 1977 it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single became a hit in at least twelve countries, including the United Kingdom, where it reached No. 13 despite the concurrent release of the Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes original, which reached No. 7.
“Don’t Leave Me This Way” won Houston the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for 1977. Also in 1977, Houston teamed up with Jerry Butler to record the album Thelma & Jerry, and that November she co-starred in the film Game Show Models. The second single from Any Way You Like It, “If It’s the Last Thing I Do,” fell short of both the R&B top ten and the Pop top 40.
Notable Works and Milestones
Houston’s signature recordings include her debut album Sunshower (1969), the 1976 album Any Way You Like It, and the worldwide hit “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (1977). Her vocal prowess on “You’ve Been Doing Wrong for So Long” earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and her win in the same category the following year remains the defining moment of her career.
Thelma Houston Award Nominations
Houston earned an early career nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for her vocal performance on “You’ve Been Doing Wrong for So Long,” which peaked at No. 64 on the US Billboard R&B chart in 1974. The recognition placed her among the respected vocalists of her era and signaled her continued rise within the music industry.
Thelma Houston Awards Won
Houston won the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1977 for her recording of “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” On September 20, 2004, her rendition of “Don’t Leave Me This Way” was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in New York City, cementing the song’s lasting influence on dance music.
| Award | Wins | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | 1 | 1977 |
| Dance Music Hall of Fame (induction of “Don’t Leave Me This Way”) | 1 | 2004 |
Thelma Houston Family
Houston was born Thelma Jackson and is the daughter of a mother who worked as a cotton picker in Leland, Mississippi. She grew up with her three sisters, primarily in Long Beach, California. Despite her stage surname, she is unrelated to Whitney Houston. After marrying, she had two children before launching her professional music career.
Personal Life
Houston has continued to maintain an active performing schedule well into her seventies. She has regularly performed at Teatro ZinZanni in Seattle and San Francisco, and in 2024 she competed in season eleven of The Masked Singer as “Clock,” making it to the semifinals and finishing in third place overall. Her version of “Don’t Leave Me This Way” remains a popular standard, and she has been invited to perform it on dozens of television shows and specials throughout her career.