<P> Mary Vesta Williams ( December 1 , 1957 -- September 22 , 2011 ) was an American singer -- songwriter , who performed across genres such as pop , jazz , adult contemporary and R&B . Originally credited as Vesta Williams , she was simply known as Vesta beginning in the 1990s . She was known for her four -- octave vocal range . She once sang `` The Star - Spangled Banner '' for the Los Angeles Lakers game opener using all four of those octaves . Although Williams never had any albums certified gold nor any Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 , she scored six Top 10 hits on the United States Billboard R&B chart from the mid -- 1980s to the early -- 1990s which included `` Once Bitten , Twice Shy '' ( 1986 ) , `` Sweet Sweet Love '' ( 1988 ) , `` Special '' ( 1993 ) , and her 1989 R&B hit and signature song , `` Congratulations '' . </P>
<P> Mary Vesta Williams ( December 1 , 1957 -- September 22 , 2011 ) was an American singer -- songwriter , who performed across genres such as pop , jazz , adult contemporary and R&B . Originally credited as Vesta Williams , she was simply known as Vesta beginning in the 1990s . She was known for her four -- octave vocal range . She once sang `` The Star - Spangled Banner '' for the Los Angeles Lakers game opener using all four of those octaves . Although Williams never had any albums certified gold nor any Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 , she scored six Top 10 hits on the United States Billboard R&B chart from the mid -- 1980s to the early -- 1990s which included `` Once Bitten , Twice Shy '' ( 1986 ) , `` Sweet Sweet Love '' ( 1988 ) , `` Special '' ( 1993 ) , and her 1989 R&B hit and signature song , `` Congratulations '' . </P>
who sings congratulations it should 've been me
who sings congratulations it should 've been me
Mary Vesta Williams
Mary Vesta Williams