<P> Delloreese Patricia Early ( July 6 , 1931 -- November 19 , 2017 ) , known professionally as Della Reese , was an American jazz and gospel singer , actress , and ordained minister whose career spanned seven decades . Reese 's long career began as a singer , scoring a hit with her 1959 single `` Do n't You Know ? '' . In the late -- 1960s , Reese hosted her own talk show , Della , which ran for 197 episodes . She also starred in films beginning in 1975 , including playing opposite Redd Foxx in Harlem Nights ( 1989 ) , Martin Lawrence in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate ( 1996 ) and Elliott Gould in Expecting Mary ( 2010 ) . She achieved continuing success in the television religious supernatural drama Touched by an Angel ( 1994 -- 2003 ) , in which Reese played the leading role of Tess . </P>
<P> Delloreese Patricia Early ( July 6 , 1931 -- November 19 , 2017 ) , known professionally as Della Reese , was an American jazz and gospel singer , actress , and ordained minister whose career spanned seven decades . Reese 's long career began as a singer , scoring a hit with her 1959 single `` Do n't You Know ? '' . In the late -- 1960s , Reese hosted her own talk show , Della , which ran for 197 episodes . She also starred in films beginning in 1975 , including playing opposite Redd Foxx in Harlem Nights ( 1989 ) , Martin Lawrence in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate ( 1996 ) and Elliott Gould in Expecting Mary ( 2010 ) . She achieved continuing success in the television religious supernatural drama Touched by an Angel ( 1994 -- 2003 ) , in which Reese played the leading role of Tess . </P>
who played tess on touched by an angel
who played tess on touched by an angel
Delloreese Patricia Early ( July 6 , 1931 -- November 19 , 2017 ) , known professionally as Della Reese
Delloreese Patricia Early ( July 6 , 1931 -- November 19 , 2017 ) , known professionally as Della Reese