▁and ▁D ella ▁left ▁to ▁perform ▁on ▁her ▁own . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁ ▁D ella ▁Griff in ▁was ▁married ▁three ▁times . ▁First ▁to ▁the ▁En chan ters ▁manager ▁Jimmy ▁Sim pson , ▁then ▁to ▁the ▁D ell - T ones ▁pian ist ▁Paul ▁Griff in , ▁and ▁finally ▁one ▁last ▁time ▁to ▁Jimmy ▁Walker . ▁Over ▁the ▁years ▁she ▁tou red ▁with ▁tou red ▁and ▁over ▁the ▁years ▁played ▁in ▁support ▁to ▁many ▁artists ▁including ▁Jimmy ▁For rest , ▁Son ny ▁St itt , ▁Ben ny ▁Green , ▁Illinois ▁Jac quet ▁and ▁her ▁sister - in - law , ▁E tta ▁Jones . ▁After ▁leaving ▁the ▁D ell - T ones , ▁D ella ' s ▁husband ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁Paul ▁Griff in , ▁encourag ed ▁her ▁to ▁take ▁some ▁time ▁off ▁to ▁focus ▁on ▁their ▁family . ▁After ▁D ella ▁and ▁Paul ▁ended ▁their ▁marriage , ▁D ella ▁began ▁performing ▁again ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁clubs ▁including ▁The ▁Blue ▁Note ▁and ▁The ▁Blue ▁Book , ▁where ▁she ▁stayed ▁for ▁years . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁D ella ▁had ▁to ▁take ▁another ▁break ▁from ▁her ▁career ▁after ▁she ▁suffered ▁serious ▁inj uries ▁from ▁being ▁hit ▁by ▁a ▁car . ▁After ▁her ▁recovery , ▁she ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁her ▁passion , ▁performing , ▁and ▁was ▁most ▁often ▁featured ▁as ▁a ▁singer ▁rather ▁than ▁a ▁drum mer ▁which ▁helped ▁her ▁gain ▁more ▁attention . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 6 5 ▁she ▁made ▁her ▁first ▁album