Jevetta Steele

Jevetta Steele (born November 11, 1963) is an American R&B and gospel music singer.

Born and raised in Gary, Indiana, Steele eventually migrated to Minneapolis, Minnesota to become a criminal lawyer. Steele later embarked upon a solo career within music and the stage. She also went on to be a member of gospel group The Steeles along with her sister Jearlyn and three brothers.

In 1983, Steele landed the lead role of Ismene in the touring show, The Gospel at Colonus. She went on to appear in productions of Smokey Joe's Cafe, Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, Ain't Misbehavin', Crowns, and Double Infidelities. She later composed the musical Two Queens, One Castle, which opened to critical acclaim.

Bob Telson, the composer of The Gospel at Colonus, used Jevetta Steele as a singer for different soundtracks he worked on. A collaboration with Telson has become her most well-known lead vocal performance, on the 1988 Telson-penned song "Calling You" from the movie soundtrack of Bagdad Café. The song was nominated for an Academy Award. The song was released as Steele's debut single and became a big airplay hit around Europe, as well as achieving top 10 positions in Sweden and in France, where she was especially successful. The success in France led to a recording contract there and in 1989 she released a follow-up single, again produced by Telson, titled "I Will Remember", which failed to chart.

Starting in 1988, Steele, on her own or with her singing family group The Steeles, became a very much in-demand session singer. It was through those sessions that she met Prince and his associates, and worked closely with him providing vocals on his records and the artists he produced from the period 1989–1995.