Vernessa Mitchell

Vernessa Mitchell is an R&B/soul/gospel/house music artist from Pasadena, California. She was the lead singer of the Motown recording act High Inergy before gaining success as gospel artist.

Career

Vernessa and her sister Barbara Mitchell were first discovered and introduced to the music industry by producer Melvin Ware in the mid-70s, and later they also became part of the 1970s Motown R&B vocal quartet High Inergy. Vernessa appeared on the group's first two albums, Turnin' On and Steppin' Out. On the latter, she also co-wrote two songs, "Hi!" and "Peaceland."

She left the group in 1978 to pursue a gospel career after becoming a born-again Christian. Mitchell released two gospel/CCM music albums during the 1980s. This Is My Story was released in 1985 and Higher Ground followed in 1988.

Although she had success as a gospel/CCM artist, Mitchell has also done well as a Gospel dance diva. Her uplifting house songs have charted seven times on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play with gospel/inspirational themed dance songs "Reap (What You Sow)" (#19/1996), "This Joy" (#5/1998), "Issues" (#12/2000), "Serious" (#37/2003), "Took My Life" (#2/2004; #1 Club Play track in 2004 year-end chart) and "Accept Me"(#1/2005). Mitchell's 2006 single, "Love Will Find A Way" peaked at #5 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

Discography

Albums

• This Is My Story 1985 Top Gospel Albums #19
• Higher Ground 1988 Top Gospel Albums #32
• On a Mission 1990 Benson
• Destiny 1992 A&M
• Let Your Presence Fall 1998 Priority Sound
• Love Is The Message 2010 Continuous Cool

Singles

• "Reap (What You Sow)"
• "This Joy"
• "Higher"
• "Serious"
• "Took My Life"
• "Accept Me"
• "Trouble don't last always
• "Love Will Find A Way"
• "Rise!"

See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

External links

• Vernessa Mitchell's website