Tamela Mann

Tamela Jean Mann (née Johnson; born June 9, 1966) is an American gospel singer and actress. She began her career as a singer with the gospel group Kirk Franklin and the Family. Mann was a primary vocalist on several tracks while with Franklin's group, including "Now Behold the Lamb", and "Lean on Me", the latter of which also included Mary J. Blige, Crystal Lewis, R Kelly and Bono. She began her solo career by releasing the albums Gotta Keep Movin (2005), and The Master Plan (2009). Her third studio album, Best Days reached No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel albums chart, and was certified Gold by the RIAA. The lead single "Take Me to the King" was a commercial success, and earned her a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance. Her fourth studio album One Way (2016), also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart; and spawned the single "God Provides", which won her the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance/Song in 2017. Mann also is known as a stage and film actress. She has worked in multiple Tyler Perry productions playing the role of Cora Simmons. She appeared in Diary of a Mad Black Woman (both the stage play and the motion picture, and recorded some songs on the soundtrack including participating in the song "Father (Can You Hear Me)", Meet the Browns (2008), Madea Goes to Jail (2009), Madea's Big Happy Family (2011), A Madea Homecoming (2022) and Madea's Destination Wedding (2025). On television, she starred in the TBS sitcom Meet the Browns from 2009 to 2011, and in 2020 began starring in the BET sitcom Tyler Perry's Assisted Living. She also starred in and produced the Bounce TV sitcom Mann & Wife (2015–17). Along with her Grammy Award, Mann has...