▁jazz ▁vocal ist ▁and ▁drum mer . ▁Also ▁known ▁as ▁D ella ▁Sim pson , ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁all ▁female ▁R & B ▁groups ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁The ▁En chan ters ▁and ▁The ▁D ell - T ones . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Career ▁D ella ▁was ▁born ▁to ▁William ▁and ▁Mary ▁Gill iam ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁out ▁of ▁ 2 0 ▁children . ▁She ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁New berry , ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁but ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁where ▁she ▁grew ▁up . ▁ ▁She ▁greatly ▁adm ired ▁and ▁was ▁influenced ▁by ▁Count ▁Bas ie , ▁Charlie ▁Bar net , ▁and ▁most ▁specifically ▁Bill ie ▁Hol iday . ▁She ▁began ▁singing ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁ 1 2 , ▁and ▁while ▁singing ▁remained ▁her ▁passion ▁she ▁was ▁also ▁prof ic ient ▁on ▁the ▁drums , ▁alto ▁sa x oph one , ▁and ▁piano . ▁She ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁from ▁J ama ica ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Queens , ▁NY , ▁and ▁began ▁singing ▁profession ally ▁a ▁few ▁years ▁after . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁D ella ▁Griff in ▁and ▁Frances ▁K elle y ▁decided ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁singing ▁group . ▁The ▁two ▁women ▁knew ▁each ▁other ▁from ▁working ▁together ▁in ▁a ▁factory ▁that ▁manufact ured ▁shoulder ▁p ads . ▁They ▁then ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁group ▁Pear l ▁Br ice , ▁D ella ' s ▁child hood ▁friend , ▁and