▁for ▁her ▁number - one ▁R & B ▁hit ▁" Res cue ▁Me " ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Font ella ▁Bass ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁Missouri . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁g ospel ▁singer ▁Mar tha ▁Bass , ▁who ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Clara ▁Ward ▁Sing ers , ▁and ▁the ▁older ▁sister ▁of ▁R & B ▁singer ▁David ▁Pe ast on . ▁At ▁an ▁early ▁age , ▁Font ella ▁showed ▁great ▁musical ▁talent . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁five , ▁she ▁provided ▁the ▁piano ▁accompan iment ▁for ▁her ▁grand m other ' s ▁singing ▁at ▁fun eral ▁services , ▁she ▁sang ▁in ▁her ▁church ' s ▁cho ir ▁at ▁six , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁she ▁was ▁nine , ▁she ▁had ▁accompanied ▁her ▁mother ▁on ▁t ours ▁throughout ▁the ▁South ▁and ▁South west ▁America . ▁ ▁Bass ▁continued ▁tour ing ▁with ▁her ▁mother ▁until ▁ ▁age ▁of ▁six teen . ▁As ▁a ▁te en ager , ▁Bass ▁was ▁attract ed ▁by ▁more ▁sec ular ▁music . ▁She ▁began ▁singing ▁R & B ▁songs ▁at ▁local ▁cont ests ▁and ▁fair s ▁while ▁att ending ▁Sold an ▁High ▁School ▁from ▁which ▁she ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁At ▁ 1 7 , ▁she ▁started ▁her ▁professional ▁career ▁working ▁at ▁the ▁Show bo at ▁Club ▁near ▁Ch ain ▁of ▁Ro cks , ▁Missouri . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁she ▁aud ition ed ▁on ▁a ▁dare ▁for ▁the ▁Leon ▁Cla